Finnish President Alexander Stubb has called on SpaceX owner Elon Musk to expand the range of the Starlink satellite internet for Ukraine. The goal is to be able to strike Russian ballistic missile launchers located on Russian territory, reports "Reuters".
As winter approaches, Ukraine is experiencing an acute shortage of air defense assets to reflect Russian ballistic missiles, and Kiev officials believe that activating Starlink over Russian territory would help direct strikes against Russian launchers from which the missiles are launched.
"That is why I call on Elon Musk to give the Ukrainians the opportunity to use Starlink in areas where there are ballistic missile launchers - be it in the occupied territory of Ukraine or in Russia - for strategic purposes, as this would save human lives," Stubb said.
The Finnish leader, who is a staunch ally of Ukraine and at the same time maintains good relations with US President Donald Trump, made this statement in an interview with "Reuters" in New York, where world leaders are gathering for the annual United Nations meeting.
President Volodymyr Zelensky used the event to push for ceasefire agreements that would cover strikes on energy infrastructure and shipping in the Black Sea. Russia has given no public indication that it wants such arrangements.
Four and a half years into the war, Ukrainians fear that Moscow is planning to systematically attack and destroy energy and heating facilities in the dead of winter. Russia's use of ballistic missiles has reached record levels this summer.
Only Ukrainian Patriot air defense systems (Patriot) are capable of intercepting such missiles, but ammunition is severely depleted and it is unclear where new supplies could come from.
Musk activated the Starlink satellite internet service over Ukraine shortly after the war began in 2022. It has become a vital element for battlefield communications and a tool for controlling drones.
Starlink does not operate over Russian territory, but Ukrainian officials believe that activating the service for Ukraine's needs inside Russia would allow Ukrainian weapons to hit mobile ballistic missile launchers located several hundred kilometers from the border.
Looking ahead to the upcoming winter, Stubb identified three things that Ukraine needs. "One is air defense systems - even Starlink could serve as such protection to some extent there. And the second is the energy facilities for the winter."
"The third is the funds. These are the things we are working on. We are preparing a package for the winter period, because I do not see the war ending before winter."
Stub noted as a positive development the resumption of US-led peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in August, with visits by US envoys to both Moscow and Kiev.
"I still think the easiest solution would be to declare an unconditional ceasefire - effectively stop the killing, as President Trump reiterated in his speech to the UN General Assembly," he said.
Such a step would be followed by negotiations on security, territory, reconstruction, compensation and other issues, he said.
The war could be frozen by creating 30-kilometer buffer zones to the east and west of it, he said, adding that the next best option was the idea of a partial ceasefire in relation to sites related to energy and grain supplies.