Streeting and Hegseth welcome Starlink restoration as UK defence chief urges US not to abandon Ukraine
Elon Musk (left) with Donald Trump, US President, whose backing of Musk's broader position included saying Zelensky "could have ended the conflict many times" but prefers not to.Musk's post on X, made in the early hours of Thursday, came amid a deepening row over Starlink restrictions that Ukraine says are aiding Russian military operations.A fireball rises from the Yanos refinery near Yaroslavl during a Ukrainian drone strike in September, as Trump's recent diesel supply deal with Russia — lifting some sanctions — deepens the rift between Washington and Kyiv.Volodymyr Zelensky told Piers Morgan Ukraine was "not selling our country — it's our lives, our home, our children" before Elon Musk demanded his resignation.
Wes Streeting pressed the US to stand firm behind Ukraine during his first visit to Washington, telling Pete Hegseth directly that abandoning Kyiv would leave America less secure. Speaking at a thinktank before his Pentagon meeting, Streeting argued that backing Ukraine is both a long-term strategic interest and a "defence-industrial" business opportunity for Washington. He acknowledged "the challenges of recent days" — a reference to Monday's US decision to limit Starlink access for Ukrainian drones. Both defence secretaries then welcomed news that Starlink access had been restored.
Britain is also set to send more Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine, intensifying UK military support.
Streeting told Hegseth the UK's role was to 'bring harmony' amid the most strained period of US-Ukraine relations since Trump's return to the White House.
The two men also discussed whether US military bases in the UK remain safe after an Iranian threat forced B-1 bombers to withdraw from RAF Fairford.
