The Trump administration blames Ukraine for the stalemate in the war and increases pressure via Starshield – leaving troops blind and pushing Kyiv toward negotiations with Moscow. “This is a case of space-based coercion,” comments HCSS research director Tim Sweijs in Público. “After all, orbital assets, such as satellites, are vital to the conduct of modern warfare. Without them, the parties to a conflict are left blind, deaf, and mute.”
“Europe needs to step up its efforts to bolster Ukraine’s defences – specifically by filling the void that would be left should the U.S. cease its support entirely,” adds Sweijs.
On Wednesday, The Wall Street Journal reported that it was indeed Musk who limited the connection speeds for Ukrainian equipment, rendering some drones unusable, after speaking with several officials from the Trump administration – including Donald Trump himself – before imposing the new speed limit, which, according to Ukrainian officials, allowed Russian missiles to evade their defences.
“For Elon Musk, this is a way to get back into the good graces of the Trump administration. In doing so, he will gain political capital that he will likely need, in time, to further his own business interests,” states Sweijs.
Is this all part of a “planned operation” intended to undermine Ukraine’s defences in Russia’s war of aggression that is heading into its fifth year?
“It is likely that this is part of another concerted campaign by Trump to exert pressure on Zelensky, demonstrate his dependence, and push him toward the negotiating table,” argues Sweijs.
Source: Publico, full article (in Portuguese) by Ivo Neto here.
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