UK Defence Secretary Urges US to Maintain Support for Ukraine Amid Starlink Row

UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting is in Washington to urge continued American backing for Ukraine, following a dispute over Starlink satellite internet that threatens to set back Kyiv’s war effort. Streeting spoke at the Center for Strategic and International Studies before a scheduled meeting with his US counterpart, Pete Hegseth. He acknowledged recent tensions but stressed that supporting Ukraine serves Washington’s long-term interests and presents a business opportunity.

Streeting referred to the US government’s decision on Monday to limit the Ukrainian military’s use of Starlink, noting it was “a reminder of two things – one is that American support in Ukraine has been significant and it has made, I think, a real impact in the Ukrainian war effort. And we and the Ukrainians would feel the absence of that.” He also highlighted an “enormous opportunity for the US in terms of the support for Ukraine,” pointing to a future defence-industrial relationship between the two countries.

Tensions and Broader Security Talks

The meeting with Hegseth could be difficult amid disagreements over Ukraine, Iran, and the Middle East. The two men are expected to discuss the safety of US military bases in the UK, after the Iranian threat prompted the withdrawal of B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. They may also address whether the US and UK should help Saudi Arabia, which is under attack from Yemen’s Houthis.

Ukraine remains the most urgent issue. A day earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he felt personally betrayed by Donald Trump. The US government appeared to have throttled the version of Starlink used by Ukraine’s military, and Ukrainian officials said Washington threatened to cut intelligence sharing unless Ukraine abandoned attacks on refineries aimed at hurting the Russian economy. UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham met Zelenskyy in London on Wednesday and said the UK would stand by Ukraine.

Streeting argued that helping Ukraine is a matter of national self-interest for both the US and the UK. “Ukraine may be thousands of miles from American shores, but if aggression is rewarded, if borders can be redrawn by force, if the sovereignty of nations becomes negotiable, the consequences will not remain confined to Ukraine or to my continent,” he said. He also stated, “There’s rarely been a more important time for Britain and America to come together.”