U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Oct. 21 that American aid had kept Ukraine sovereign, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported satellite restrictions hampering its military operations.
Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, Rubio argued that without U.S. assistance, “Ukraine as a sovereign state would not exist.” He credited aid from both the Biden and Trump administrations, described it as “billions of dollars” and praised Ukrainian troops for resisting Russia.
Zelenskyy told U.S. lawmakers Oct. 19 that speed restrictions on Starlink and Starshield were complicating frontline logistics, Ukraine's mid-range strikes and defenses against drones he called “shaheds.” He also said Ukraine would face greater difficulty without American support.
Rubio said neither President Donald Trump nor other U.S. officials had requested changes to Starlink, and that Washington had no advance knowledge of the limits. He described Starlink as a commercial service and said the U.S. military buys Starshield under a separate arrangement.
Reuters reported, citing unnamed officials, that an instruction concerning Starshield originated inside the White House. The Wall Street Journal separately reported, citing officials and people familiar with the matter, that SpaceX CEO Elon Musk ordered a slowdown. Rubio said he had not read the Journal article.
The debate over U.S. support also includes Washington's Russia sanctions waiver. A White House order dated Oct. 16 waived specified duties, sanctions and restrictions under the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, while leaving existing Russia measures under other executive orders in place. In remarks published Oct. 19, Zelenskyy criticized sanctions waivers and reduced pressure on Moscow; specified measures of the enacted Graham Act were waived.
Ukraine's presidential office said Oct. 20 that a separate ballistic missile early warning system was working again. It reported discussions in Oslo covering satellite access, missile interceptors, intelligence and security guarantees. Zelenskyy was in Oslo, while U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner joined an online meeting.
Rubio said Russia still seeks territory in Donbas that Ukraine holds, making it a core issue in negotiations. He said Witkoff was heading to Russia with ideas from the talks. Ukraine's presidential office said Witkoff would report back after his contacts there.
