Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he felt “betrayed" by US President Donald Trump, while accusing his administration and Elon Musk of deliberately cutting off Kyiv’s access to Starlink satellite systems, marking his strong criticism of Washington’s policies on the war.
In an interview with Piers Morgan, Zelenskyy criticised Trump’s diesel-supply deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying it was “painful" to see him choose one side that did not support Kyiv.
“We are okay if he is in the middle (of Russia and Ukraine), but if you are in the middle, you have to stay in the middle, not on the wrong side. I think his advisors are wrong. I don’t know who is pushing him. This is not the right side of history. It is a pity that we are losing a strong partner," he said.
He also referred to massive Russian attacks on Ukraine and said he wanted to discuss the issues surrounding Starlink and intelligence with Burnham. Zelenskyy alleged that Starlink services were abruptly blocked by SpaceX and the United States in the middle of the night, adding that the decision will bring “a lot of human losses".
“It’s not just about attack. It’s also about defending life. So people were killed because there weren’t enough destroyers, not enough interceptors, including interceptors with Starlink, which didn’t work," he added.
When asked directly whether he felt betrayed by Trump, Zelenskyy said, “Really, yes, but it’s a little bit more complicated than just my emotions or my feelings. Our country has to survive."
He also urged Elon Musk to restore Starlink, saying it would lead to tremendous loss of human lives. Musk later said any disruption was the responsibility of the US government, not his SpaceX company.
US-Ukraine Tensions Under Trump
Zelenskyy’s stunning remarks came after Trump announced a deal with Russia to ease restrictions on Moscow’s diesel exports, marking an extraordinary turnaround in Washington’s policy in the war amid soaring energy prices ahead of the US midterm elections in November. Trump also blindsided both sides by announcing an “energy ceasefire"
Furthermore, Trump also angrily lashed out at Zelenskyy over Ukrainian long-range attacks on Russian energy infrastructure, saying they were contributing to rising fuel prices and suggesting he should be replaced as president.
Ukrainian officials are concerned that US support with military intelligence and the use of Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite communications system may be in jeopardy after one of Zelenskyy’s advisors said SpaceX imposed a speed limit on Ukraine’s Starlink terminals.
Ukrainian officials think the restrictions were imposed intentionally by SpaceX to pressure Ukraine to accept Trump’s demand not to attack Russian oil refineries.
A senior official in Kyiv confirmed the United States had in recent days threatened to stop providing intelligence about Russian missile launches that Ukraine uses to thwart attacks. Trump has denied doing so.
However, ballistic missiles have now struck the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, for two nights running, before air raid sirens could sound in time to warn people to take cover in basements, bomb shelters or metro stations. At least 15 people were killed around the country in the latest round of strikes, while significant damage to energy facilities and equipment knocked out power to swathes of Kyiv.
