Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky discussed with representatives of Lockheed Martin the strengthening of ballistic missile defense and the possibility of joint production of interceptor missiles for Patriot systems. The meeting took place on October 19, against the backdrop of Kiev's warnings about difficult access to American military technology and limited supplies of air defense equipment.
Zelensky thanked the American company for its support for the F-16 program and the training of Ukrainian pilots. According to him, the fighters are already being actively used against the Russian “Shahed“ drones, and Kiev is counting on the cooperation to continue in the winter.
Coons asked SpaceX to indicate who made the decision
Meanwhile, Senators Jeanne Shaheen, Richard Blumenthal, Sheldon Whitehouse and Chris Coons asked SpaceX to explain who made the decision to restrict Starlink and the Starshield military service in Ukraine. In their letter to the company, they demand that all employees and institutions involved in the decision be identified, as well as who has the right to change the access conditions.
The reason is the signal from Ukrainian representatives that on October 14 the Starshield terminals stopped working when moving at more than 100 miles per hour. This affected Ukrainian drones that use the communication and control system. Access was later partially restored, but limited to about 100 miles per hour.
“These circumstances raise important questions about the technical, contractual and operational authority of SpaceX and the U.S. government“, the senators said. They asked for answers and documents by Nov. 2, 2026.
According to officials cited by Reuters, the order to restrict Starshield came from the White House, but it was not clear who issued it. A senior U.S. official denied that President Donald Trump had given such an order. Elon Musk said Starshield is owned and controlled by the U.S. government, and that restrictions on speed or use are determined by the U.S. military or the president.
Merz: Russia is targeting Europe's political order
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has warned that European societies are underestimating Russian influence. In an interview with Bloomberg, he said that Moscow's goal is not only the territorial conquest of Ukraine, but also the undermining of democracy and European integration.
“My greatest concern is the underestimated Russian influence on our societies. Russia is moving towards destabilizing the entire political order on our European continent“, Merz said.The chancellor pointed out that European countries must strengthen their defense capabilities and be able to defend themselves more independently within NATO. His warning comes at a time when Kiev is seeking additional missile defense and Washington and Ukraine are exchanging accusations over restrictions on military support and the exchange of intelligence information.
Sources: eurointegration.com.ua, militarytimes.com, elfinanciero.com.mx