US sources said on July 31 that during a recent US visit Ukrainian President
Zelenskiy asked President Trump and other US officials to persuade SpaceX
founder Elon Musk to allow Ukrainian forces to use SpaceX’s Starlink satellite
internet system to strike ballistic missile launchers inside Russia. Multiple
sources said Zelenskiy raised the request in a closed‑door White House meeting
with Trump on July 28. Russia has begun deploying a similar low‑Earth‑orbit
satellite system. Zelenskiy said Ukraine needs higher‑precision strikes on
Russian missile launchers before winter to deter a Russian winter offensive and
curb attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
