Andy Burnham has told Donald Trump that Ukraine must have “full access” to Starlink to defend itself against Russia as tensions simmer between Washington and Kyiv after restrictions were placed on its use.
The Prime Minister raised the issue directly with the US president in a phone call on Friday amid deteriorating relations between the White House and Volodymyr Zelensky’s government.
Ukraine relies on Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite communications system to help intercept Russian missile and drone attacks, but faced speed limits last week that significantly curtailed its ability to do so.
Mr Musk has suggested the order to impose caps on the service came from the White House, which Mr Trump has denied, while the Wall Street Journal reported that the tech billionaire was behind the slowdown.
In a readout of a conversation between the UK and US leaders on Friday, a No 10 spokeswoman said: “The Prime Minister underlined the importance for Ukraine to have full access to Starlink so they can continue to defend themselves against Russia’s full-scale invasion.
“The Prime Minister recognised the work of President Trump to bring Putin to the negotiation table and the leaders agreed to work together, alongside international partners, to bring an end to the bloodshed.”
Mr Burnham has said Britain is working to “bring back all sides” behind Ukraine after a week of turmoil following the US president’s decision to ease sanctions on Russian diesel in a bid to cut fuel prices before challenging mid-term elections.
Since then, Mr Trump has suggested Mr Zelensky should be replaced and declined to say whether Russia was responsible for the war, while White House aide Steve Witkoff described Vladimir Putin as a “humanitarian”.
Downing Street flatly rejected the US envoy’s characterisation of the Russian president on Thursday, adding: “President Putin has killed thousands of people, both innocent Ukrainians and his own Russian people, who he has sent to their deaths on the front line.
“He is starving children and the elderly of the heat and warmth, and systematically targeting critical national infrastructure.
“Ukraine’s foreign minister summed it up well this morning when he said: ‘This night, the residents of Kyiv heard what Russian humanitarianism really sounds like’.”
Asked if the Government would be making the same argument directly to the US administration, No 10 said “we engage regularly at a range of levels with a range of partners on Ukraine, and I’m sure we will continue to do so.”
