Overview
- President Trump this month waived statutory Russia sanctions and struck a diesel import agreement with Moscow, moves that lawmakers and Kyiv say reflect a U.S. policy pivot toward Russia and have provoked bipartisan alarm.
- Ukraine says SpaceX’s Starshield, the military-grade version of Starlink that helps drones, frontline communications and targeting, is operating under a speed cap that has limited drone strikes and the ability to intercept fast Russian drones.
- U.S. officials and SpaceX dispute who imposed the Starshield limits: SpaceX says the U.S. military controls Starshield operations, while the White House denies ordering any slowdown, leaving responsibility unclear and prompting calls for congressional probes.
- Zelensky briefed a bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers on Monday to press for answers after Kyiv reported several ballistic strikes without advance warning and said U.S. approval for Patriot missiles paid for by NATO partners remained withheld.
- U.S. envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff are expected to join Oslo talks this week with Norwegian and Finnish leaders as Zelensky presses for restored support, a diplomatic effort that could reshape negotiations and raise stakes for U.S.-Ukraine ties.