SpaceX chief Elon Musk told former Ukrainian defense minister Mykhailo Fedorov he is prepared to allow Ukraine to use Starlink-equipped drones for strikes on targets inside Russia, but stressed that the final decision is political and must be made by the White House, the Financial Times reported, citing sources familiar with their conversations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been seeking permission to use Starlink-equipped drones to strike Russian ballistic missile launchers up to 200 kilometers from the border. According to The Moscow Times, citing FT, Zelensky raised the issue during a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in late July, but the White House made no promises.
Fedorov told FT that such a capability could significantly affect the situation on the front line. He declined to disclose the content of his talks with Musk but said he remains in close contact with the entrepreneur.
Fedorov also said he believes expanding Ukraine's long-range strikes on Russia is the most realistic way to force Vladimir Putin to end the war: "We need more jet drones, we need cheap missiles, we need missiles with artificial intelligence. No other dialogue with Putin is possible. He only understands force."