Ukraine seeks alternative to scarce Patriot interceptors amid Iran war
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has asked President Donald Trump and other American officials to help Ukraine win permission from Elon Musk to use his Starlink satellite communications system to guide strikes inside Russia, according to people familiar with the matter.
Zelenskyy made the request directly to Trump during an Oval Office meeting this week as part of a whirlwind trip to Washington, according to one person familiar with the matter. He also raised the issue later with lawmakers on Capitol Hill, telling them he wanted Starlink to assist with targeting inside Russia, according to a person in the room. Both officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive private discussions. Trump did not commit to Zelenskyy’s request, the person familiar said.
The push for expanded Starlink use comes as Zelenskyy looks for alternative ways to mitigate Ukraine’s need for U.S. Patriot air defense systems to counter the steady barrage of Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian territory. The Patriot interceptors are in shorter supply as the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran continues, the AP reported. Trump on Friday appeared to back away from a recent commitment to give Ukraine a license to produce the interceptors domestically.