Mikhail Fedorov, Ukraine's digital minister, has been trying through unofficial channels to persuade SpaceX owner Elon Musk to let the Ukrainian military use Starlink to target Russian missile launchers, The Atlantic reported, citing sources close to Fedorov. The sources said no positive decision has been made so far.
Musk, according to the sources, has argued with Fedorov about the risks of further escalation of the war and insists on a peace agreement. In late July, The Atlantic reported that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, during a meeting with Donald Trump at the White House, asked the U.S. president to influence Musk.
Zelensky explained that access to Starlink would allow Ukraine to destroy Russian launchers before they fire missiles, reducing dependence on scarce Patriot interceptor missiles. Trump promised to consider the request, but Musk himself refused to meet with Zelensky.