Brief

Trump urges Ukraine to cut peace deal, cites Starshield slowdown

Trump said Zelenskyy must want a deal, while SpaceX CEO Elon Musk blamed the White House for limits on the military‑grade Starshield system.

By Felo News Desk · Published Wed, 21 Oct 2026 06:57:37 GMT

U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy must want to settle the war with Russia, adding, “I don’t care how it’s done.” Trump’s remarks came as Ukraine reported a slowdown in its Starshield satellite system, a military‑grade version of SpaceX’s Starlink, and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk blamed the White House for the limits.

What happened

During a press briefing, Trump said Zelenskyy “has to want to settle this war” and warned that if the Ukrainian leader does not, the situation could become “very bad.” He referenced an Oval Office meeting with Zelenskyy in February 2025, claiming the Ukrainian president could have secured a “better deal” then. Trump also said there is “tremendous hatred” between him and Putin, making a face‑to‑face meeting difficult.

What the reports add

Al Jazeera noted that the Ukrainian president met U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and European leaders in Oslo on Tuesday, saying Ukraine has “some clear ideas on how to get to peace” and that Witkoff would travel to Russia the next day. The outlet also reported Musk’s tweet on October 14 that Starshield systems are owned by the U.S. government and any usage limits are decided by the military and the president. Reuters is cited as saying the order to limit Starshield came from inside the White House, while the Wall Street Journal claimed Musk himself ordered the slowdown.

What was said

“Zelenskyy has to want to settle this war, and if he doesn’t, I think it’s going to be a very bad thing,” Trump told reporters, according to Al Jazeera.
“He’s going to have to want to make a deal, because I don’t think his people are going to stand for it any longer,” Trump added.
Elon Musk wrote on social media, “Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government. Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS.”

How it came about

Trump’s pressure follows earlier calls for Ukraine to replace Zelenskyy, reported by Felo News on 11 Oct 2026, and his willingness to attend a trilateral summit with Putin and Xi, reported on 20 Oct 2026. The Starshield slowdown adds a new dimension to the diplomatic tug‑of‑war, linking U.S. domestic politics with Ukraine’s military communications.

Key facts

President Trump said Zelenskyy must want a peace deal, adding "I don’t care how it’s done." (aljazeera.com)
Ukraine reported a slowdown in its Starshield satellite system. (aljazeera.com)
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said limits on Starshield are set by the US government and the president. (aljazeera.com)
Reuters cited two US officials saying the slowdown order came from inside the White House. (aljazeera.com)
The Wall Street Journal reported that Musk himself ordered the slowdown. (aljazeera.com)

Where accounts differ

Source of the Starshield slowdown order: Reuters reported the order came from inside the White House. (aljazeera.com); The Wall Street Journal claimed Musk ordered the slowdown. (aljazeera.com)