Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has asked US President Donald Trump to help secure approval from billionaire Elon Musk to allow Ukraine to use the Starlink satellite network for targeting military strikes inside Russia, according to people familiar with the discussions.
The request came during Zelenskyy's meeting with Trump at the White House this week and was also raised in talks with US lawmakers on Capitol Hill. However, Trump did not commit to supporting the proposal, the sources said.
Ukraine currently uses Starlink for communications within its own territory, including Russian-occupied areas. But Musk has not allowed the satellite system to be used for operations inside Russia.
Zelenskyy has been pressing US officials for several weeks to expand Starlink's use, arguing that it would improve the accuracy of Ukraine's long-range and medium-range strikes.
His request comes as Ukraine looks for alternatives to reduce its reliance on US-made Patriot air defence systems, which have become harder to obtain amid the ongoing US and Israeli military campaign against Iran.
The White House, the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington and SpaceX, which owns Starlink, did not immediately comment on the matter.
Allowing Starlink to be used inside Russia could also pose risks for Musk. Earlier this year, the Associated Press reported that intelligence agencies from two NATO countries believed Russia was developing an anti-satellite weapon that could target the Starlink network. The report could not be independently verified.
Starlink has played a key role in supporting Ukraine's communications since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
During his visit to Washington, Zelenskyy also urged US lawmakers to continue supporting Ukraine with more Patriot systems and to move forward with a proposed agreement that would allow Ukraine to produce the air defence system under licence.
Republican Senator Mike Rounds, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said Zelenskyy stressed that wider access to Starlink would make Ukraine's longer-range weapons more accurate.
"He made it clear they need Starlink for greater precision," Rounds said.
Zelenskyy met lawmakers before the Senate voted to advance a new package of sanctions against Russia, with a final vote expected next week.
Meanwhile, Trump appeared to step back from an earlier statement suggesting Ukraine would receive a licence to manufacture Patriot systems.
Speaking to reporters at Camp David on Friday, Trump said the issue was still under discussion.
"We're talking about it. But it's a hard thing to give away that kind of technology," he said.
Relations between Trump and Zelenskyy have improved in recent months as Ukraine has gained ground on the battlefield.
Zelenskyy has also argued that the war in Ukraine is linked to tensions involving Iran. He plans to share intelligence with the United States that he says shows Russia is helping Iran use satellite surveillance to target US military bases in the Middle East.
He also told US lawmakers that Ukraine is ready to share its expertise in drone warfare with the United States, highlighting its experience in countering Russian attacks.