US president Donald Trump claims SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has restored Ukraine's Starlink access, even as Volodymyr Zelensky and Ukrainian sources said there had been no change in satellite internet speeds.
Trump refused to confirm reports that he had called Musk to ask him to restore the service for Ukraine's military, saying: "I don't want to comment on it, whether I called or whether somebody else called ... The bottom line - he put it back."
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian president warned that Russian president Vladimir Putin now believes his maximalist war goals – which include capturing four Ukrainian regions in their entirety – are within reach.
“Russia is clearly taking advantage of the slowdown in air defence supplies from our partners,” Zelensky wrote in a post on X on Thursday.
“It is equally clear that when some partners ease the pressure on Russia, it only reinforces Putin's belief that his goals are within reach. We need different signals and different steps – stronger ones.”
Speaking a day after meeting Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff, Putin insisted that Russia was not preparing for war with Europe and that trilateral talks should be about ensuring the future security of both countries.
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Key Points
- Two dead in massive Russian missile attack as Putin talks 'make no difference'
- Trump's envoy Witkoff faces growing criticism for calling Putin ‘humanitarian’
- Ukraine says 'appeasement will not end war' after Witkoff's remarks
- Russia frees American Stephen Hubbard after over four years behind bars
- Kremlin says European peace proposals lack ‘substance’
- Starlink access in Ukraine a decision for Musk, not White House, Rubio says
Starlink access to Ukraine 'restored', claims Trump
05:00 , Namita SinghUS president Donald Trump said SpaceX CEO Elon Musk had restored Ukraine's Starlink access, one of the issues linked to a rift between Washington and Kyiv that has cast doubt on US support for Ukraine.
Trump, in comments on Starlink, declined to say whether he had spoken to Musk about restoring the service for Ukraine.
Earlier, the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump had called Musk and asked him to lift restrictions on Ukraine's use.
"I don't want to comment on it, whether I called or whether somebody else called ... The bottom line - he put it back," Trump told reporters.
Ukraine uses Starlink for battlefield communications and drone operations. Restricting the service hampered the country's attack and air defence drone missions against Russia.
Speaking earlier alongside Finland's prime minister, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said speed on Starlink systems had not been restored for Ukraine.
"We are tackling that," Zelensky said, adding he hoped to discuss the issue with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
A person familiar with the Starlink issue said the problem was continuing, with the same curbs largely remaining in place.
Some drone units report reaching speeds of 200kmph (125mph) with drones but otherwise the picture was unchanged, he said. “The main problem is that we have no official explanation what's going on," he said.
Prepare for ‘state-sponsored terrorism’ and cyber attacks to cause food shortages, Streeting warns
04:00 , Maira ButtBritons should prepare for food shortages if “state-sponsored terrorism” disrupts everyday life, the defence secretary has said in a stark new warning on the “real” threats facing the UK.
People need to start to stockpile food, water, medicine and wind-up radios, Wes Streeting said, raising the spectre of hostile powers launching cyber attacks on key infrastructure.
Such attacks could wreck supply chains or make businesses’ payment systems fail, he said, while natural risks such as flooding and wildfires also pose a threat.
‘State-sponsored terrorism’ and cyber attacks to cause food shortages, Streeting says
Zelensky says he will speak to Rubio in coming days
03:00 , Maira ButtVolodymyr Zelensky has said that he will speak to secretary of state Marco Rubio in the coming days.
Tensions have escalated between Ukraine and the US after a series of public comments.
Ukraine had reported having its US-assisted military intelligence restricted, claims that Rubio had called “scandalous”.
US-brokered trilateral agreements are reportedly set to take place in order to rekindle negotiations, which have stalled since the war in Iran.
Trump declines to say if he spoke to Musk about Starlink
02:00 , Maira ButtDonald Trump has said that Elon Musk has restored Ukraine's Starlink access but declined to comment when asked whether he had spoken to the billionaire about the matter.
The Wall Street Journal reported earlier on Thursday that Trump had called Musk and asked him to lift restrictions on Ukraine's use of Starlink.
“I don't want to comment on it, whether I called or whether somebody else called, doesn't make any difference, I guess. The bottom line - he put it back,” Trump told reporters when asked if he spoke to Musk.
Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier on Thursday that fully function of SpaceX’s military-grade system had not been restored.
Finnish PM says no gas deals should be made with Russia during war
01:00 , Maira ButtFinland's prime minister Petteri Orpo has said that no deals should be made to buy gas from Russia during the country’s war with Ukraine, in comments made on Thursday.
The leader was visiting Kyiv for talks with Volodymyr Zelensky. They told a joint press conference that they had discussed opportunities to cooperate on satellite communication, energy and logistics.
Finland stopped receiving Russian pipeline gas in May 2022 after refusing Russia's demand to pay in roubles, and completely ended Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports in July 2024 under EU sanctions.
Watch: Russian attack damages shopping center and residential buildings in Ukraine’s Rivne region
Friday 23 October 2026 00:01 , Maira ButtTrump says Musk restored Ukraine's Starlink access, declines to say if they spoke
Thursday 22 October 2026 23:00 , Maira ButtPresident Donald Trump on Thursday told reporters that Elon Musk had restored Ukraine's Starlink access but declined to comment when asked whether he had spoken to Musk about the matter.
However, Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier that full functionality of SpaceX’s Starshield programme had not yet been restored in an interview with CNN.
Downing Street rejects American description of Vladimir Putin as ‘humanitarian’
Thursday 22 October 2026 22:00 , Daniel KeaneDowning Street has rejected the characterisation of Vladimir Putin as a “humanitarian” made by Donald Trump’s chief negotiator on the Ukraine war.
Steve Witkoff, the US special envoy, made the remark as he met with the Russian leader this week.
It comes as the US president has made a new push to end the Ukraine war, and is putting pressure on Kyiv to agree to a settlement.
No 10 suggested the Government was wholly at odds with the description of Mr Putin.
Asked about it by reporters, a Downing Street spokeswoman said: “We certainly do not recognise that characterisation, and president Putin has killed thousands of people, both innocent Ukrainians and his own Russian people, who he has sent to their deaths on the frontline.”
Read the full story here.
Downing Street rejects American description of Vladimir Putin as ‘humanitarian’
Putin says eastern Ukraine's land is historically Russian
Thursday 22 October 2026 21:44 , Maira ButtVladimir Putin has said that the territories in eastern Ukraine claimed by Moscow were “historically Russian land” in comments made on Thursday.
He said any future trilateral talks involving Russia, the United States and Ukraine should focus on security guarantees for both Russia and Ukraine, adding broader European security issues should also be discussed.
Poland detains second suspect in murder of Russian artist who criticised Putin
Thursday 22 October 2026 21:00 , Daniel KeanePolish authorities have detained a second suspect in the June murder of a Russian artist who had criticized President Vladimir Putin, secret service chief Tomasz Siemoniak said on Thursday.
Robert Kuzovkov, also known as Semyon Skrepetsky, died after he was hit by five bullets in the eastern Polish city of Biala Podlaska in June.
Kuzovkov was known for his work criticizing Russian authorities and had staged a protest in Berlin shortly before the shooting.
At the time, Polish authorities detained a 36-year-old man, who they said was using a Georgian passport.
The second man, a 22-year-old Georgian national suspected of complicity in the murder, had been placed in pre-trial detention for three months by a court, Siemoniak wrote on X on Thursday.
Video: Russian attack damages shopping centre
Thursday 22 October 2026 20:00 , Daniel KeaneTrump asks Musk to lift Ukraine Starlink restrictions, WSJ reports
Thursday 22 October 2026 19:33 , Maira ButtPresident Donald Trump has called SpaceX owner Elon Musk and asked him to lift restrictions on Ukraine's use of Starlink, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing US officials.
The Starlink system was working more normally on Thursday, shortly after the Trump-Musk conversation, according to US and Ukrainian officials cited by the publication.
Russia hit Kyiv with missiles carrying cluster warheads, Zelensky says
Thursday 22 October 2026 19:00 , Daniel KeaneUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday that Russia hit Kyiv overnight with three ballistic missiles carrying cluster munition warheads.
Zelensky said such missiles were designed to detonate in the air as they approach their targets, spreading damage across an area 400 meters in diameter.
He added that one of them struck Kyiv's historic district, hitting the area near the monastic buildings of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.
He also said that Russia had kept targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure with more than 170 strikes on critical energy facilities since October 11.
Zelensky says Starshield access is still restricted
Thursday 22 October 2026 18:29 , Maira ButtPresident Volodymyr Zelensky has said that access to SpaceX’s military-grade Starshield remains restricted in an interview with CNN on Thursday.
The US and Elon Musk have blamed each other for the limitation.
He added: “My attitude to Putin is very clear. I think that if we lift sanctions, we will make him stronger. It’s not something personal between me and President Trump, and of course I’m against of any lifting of sanctions.”
Danish military orders long-range missiles
Thursday 22 October 2026 18:00 , Daniel KeaneDenmark said on Thursday it has agreed to buy its first long-range precision missiles as the Nordic country seeks to bolster its security to deter Russian aggression in Europe, drawing condemnation from Moscow.
Danish Defence Minister Jeppe Bruus said the new missile systems would boost Denmark's capabilities and enable strikes "behind enemy lines" if attacked.
"We're in a serious and deteriorating security situation and that is why we are building up the defence and strengthening our combat power," Bruus told reporters.
The Russian embassy in Copenhagen, in a written statement, said Denmark's missile policy aims at confrontation with Moscow and warned of "inevitable disastrous consequences".
Zelensky says 'Trump should talk about Putin the way he talks about me'
Thursday 22 October 2026 17:00 , Daniel KeaneVolodymyr Zelensky has said that Donald Trump should talk about Vladimir Putin in the same critical way that he talks about him.
The US President has recently turned on Zelensky over Ukraine’s strikes on Russian oil refineries, saying he was “more difficult to deal with than Putin” in comments that have enraged Kyiv and Europe.
Trump also claimed that Russia “hasn’t been doing much” in Ukraine, despite thousands of civilian deaths the unprecedented destruction of infrastructure.
Speaking to Steven Bartlett’s Diary of a CEO podcast, the Ukrainian president said: “The way Trump talks about me, he needs to adopt that kind of rhetoric about Putin.”
Zelensky said he did not understand why Trump was unhappy with him: “Congress voted for strong sanctions. He can do it – I don’t know why he is not doing it.
South Korea repatriates aid worker from Ukraine over safety, Yonhap says
Thursday 22 October 2026 15:53 , Daniel KeaneSouth Korea's international aid agency has decided to bring back one of its two staff members from its office in Ukraine's capital on safety grounds, the Yonhap news agency reported on Thursday.
Kyiv has come under increasingly heavy Russian drone and missile attacks in recent weeks, more than 4-1/2 years after Moscow's invasion of its neighbour.
South Korea has also been caught up in a diplomatic dispute with Ukraine and withdrew its ambassador this month after accusing Kyiv of breaching a confidentiality agreement over the transfer of two captured North Korean soldiers to the South.
The decision by the Korea International Cooperation Agency to repatriate the aid agency staff member was made after a safety meeting, Yonhap said in its report.
Suspected spy for Russia arrested in Germany
Thursday 22 October 2026 14:52 , Daniel KeaneA Ukrainian national has been arrested in the German state Brandenburg on suspicion of spying for Russia, a statement by federal public prosecutors said on Thursday.
Germany has stepped up efforts to counter what it sees as escalating hybrid attacks from Moscow, deemed by Chancellor Friedrich Merz the biggest threat to his country's security.
The suspect, identified by prosecutors as Vadym Y. under German privacy rules, had been in contact with a Russian secret service via an intermediary since at least July 2025, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said he gathered military-related intelligence, including information on the production of armoured vehicles, ammunition and explosives, as well as personnel and installations involved in securing Nato’s eastern flank.
Ukraine to be able to buy military supplies via Nato agency - report
Thursday 22 October 2026 13:15 , Maroosha MuzaffarNato will allow Ukraine to buy weapons, ammunition and military equipment via its centralised procurement agency, potentially allowing Kyiv to obtain defence supplies faster and more cheaply, the Financial Times reported on Thursday.
“It provides Ukraine with the ability to have a more structured framework to leverage a broad range of capabilities that we offer: procurement expertise, support services and access to established industrial base,” the Nato Support and Procurement Agency director of support to operations, Jacqueline Borsboom, told the FT.
The deal comes amid worsening US-Ukraine relations since US president Donald Trump announced a diesel export deal with Russia this month to lower US fuel prices.
Ukraine has complained of disruption to some intelligence sharing and its use of the Starshield satellite system, though Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky said a meeting in Oslo on Tuesday had agreed to resolve those issues.
Kremlin claims US companies better off in Russia thanks to Trump
Thursday 22 October 2026 12:45 , Adam WithnallThe Kremlin has said US companies still operating in Russia are being better treated than their European rivals because of president Donald Trump's efforts to achieve peace in Ukraine.
Reuters reported earlier that Russia had deepened a crackdown on European companies in response to Europe's support for Ukraine, while largely sparing US firms.
"The American administration is doing a lot to help bring about a peaceful settlement (in Ukraine); the European capitals are doing nothing to help while doing a lot to prolong the military action," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
Peskov did concede that European countries were becoming more actively engaged in the peace process, following talks involving Volodymyr Zelensky and Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff in Oslo. He described that as a positive development.
Russia continued to launch heavy aerial strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities overnight into Thursday despite Vladimir Putin meeting with Witkoff just hours earlier and claiming to want a peaceful end to the war, which was started by Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
Asked about possible trilateral peace talks next month with the US and Kyiv, Peskov said no decision had yet been made on who would represent Russia.
Downing Street hits back at Steve Witkoff over claim Putin is a 'humanitarian'
Thursday 22 October 2026 12:17 , Millie CookeThe UK government has hit back at US special envoy Steve Witkoff's claim that Vladimir Putin is a "humanitarian", saying: "We do not recognise that characterisation."
Speaking to reporters, the prime minister's official spokesperson added: "President Putin has killed thousands of people both innocent Ukrainians and the Russian people who he has sent to their deaths on the front line.
"Ukraine's foreign minister summed it up well this morning when he said that last night the people of Kyiv heard what Russian humanitarianism truly sounds like."
The spokesperson also repeatedly refused to say whether the prime minister thinks President Trump is a humanitarian, instead saying: "We fully support President Trump in his efforts to secure a just and lasting peace in Ukraine."
