Musk dismisses US threat to cut Starlink over Ukraine minerals deal

Responding to a report by Reuters, Musk called the claim “false” and accused the news agency of lying. He offered no evidence to back up his statement.

His response came after the Kyiv Independent shared the news, which cited anonymous sources alleging that Starlink’s continued operation in Ukraine was being tied to an agreement over mineral resources.

The US has threatened to cut Ukraine’s access to Starlink if Kyiv doesn’t agree to a critical minerals deal, Reuters reported on Feb. 21, citing sources. Negotiations are ongoing after President Volodymyr Zelensky refused an initial proposal, though US President Donald Trump said a deal is near.

Ukraine aims to conclude an agreement with the US for its natural resources on Feb. 24, Ruslan Stefanchuk, speaker of Ukraine’s parliament, told Japanese media outlet NHK.

SpaceX began providing Starlink terminals to Ukraine shortly after the full-scale invasion, giving Kyiv a crucial communications advantage on the battlefield. Since then, however, Musk has grown increasingly vocal in criticizing Ukraine.

Musk, currently the world’s richest man, heads the Trump-established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an organization tasked with eliminating waste from the federal budget.

Musk has called for shutting down the US Agency for International Development (USAID), an organization that provides vital humanitarian aid to Ukraine. He has also amplified Russian disinformation and mocked Zelensky for calling Ukraine an independent country. Musk’s comments on X are often misleading or outright false.