US threatens to shutoff Ukraine from Starlink if minerals deal not reached - Reuters
US officials are discussing the possibility of disconnecting Ukraine from the Starlink satellite internet system owned by Elon Musk if Kyiv refuses a proposed minerals deal.
According to Censor.NET, Reuters reports this with reference to three sources familiar with the negotiations.
According to the sources, the US is putting pressure on Ukraine to access its natural resources, and disconnecting from Starlink is one of the tools of this pressure.
The question of Ukraine's access to Starlink reportedly arose during negotiations between Ukrainian and US officials after President Zelenskyy rejected an initial offer from US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
The topic was raised again in a meeting between Keith Kellogg, the US Special Representative for Ukraine and Russia, and Zelenskyy. During this meeting, Ukraine was reportedly informed that it could lose access to Starlink if it did not sign a minerals agreement.
As a reminder, The Wall Street Journal reported that Zelenskyy may sign an agreement with the US on mining as early as 22 February.
