UK defence secretary seeks US backing for Ukraine after Starlink row

Summarised from 3 outlets · 4 reports · Updated 15 Oct, 21:58 · Archive

Wes Streeting urged the United States to maintain support for Ukraine during a visit to Washington, seeking to ease tensions over Starlink access restrictions.

Wes Streeting, the UK Defence Secretary, visited Washington to urge the United States to maintain its support for Ukraine and ease tensions between Washington and Kyiv. The visit followed a row over the US government's decision to limit Ukraine's military use of Starlink, which threatened to affect Kyiv's war effort.

Speaking at the Center for Strategic and International Studies before meeting his US counterpart Pete Hegseth, Streeting argued that supporting Ukraine was in America's long-term interests and represented a business opportunity. He acknowledged "the challenges of recent days" and said American support had made "a real impact" on Ukraine's war effort, adding that "we and the Ukrainians would feel the absence of that".

After his meeting with Hegseth, Streeting told the BBC he had been reassured that Ukraine's Starlink access had been restored. He said it remained unclear what had caused the service interruption. Streeting sought to invoke harmony in US-Ukraine relations, which had been strained by President Donald Trump's stance on Kyiv and tensions between the US and Nato.

How it is being reported

• Streeting ‘reassured’ by Hegseth that Ukraine’s access to Starlink restoredThe Defence Secretary told his US counterpart the UK’s role was to ‘bring harmony’ amid strained US-Ukraine relations.Evening Standard · 15 Oct, 23:53
• Don't abandon Ukraine, Wes Streeting tells Hegseth on his first trip to the USOn his first visit to Washington DC, the Defence Secretary told officials Ukraine is a vital partner that will make America a more secure country in the years ahead.Daily Mail · 15 Oct, 22:45
• Streeting ‘reassured’ by Hegseth that Ukraine’s access to Starlink restoredThe Defence Secretary told his US counterpart the UK’s role was to ‘bring harmony’ amid strained US-Ukraine relations.Evening Standard · 15 Oct, 21:42
• Wes Streeting urges US to back Ukraine on visit to Washington after Starlink rowUK defence secretary trying to cool tensions and is arguing it is in America’s economic interests to support Kyiv Wes Streeting urged the US to stand by Ukraine on his visit to the American capital and sought to cool tensions between the two countries in the wake of the Starlink row that is threatening to set back Kyiv’s war effort. The British defence secretary, giving a speech before a meeting with his US counterpart, Pete Hegseth, argued that supporting Ukraine was in the long-term interests of Washington – and a business opportunity. Continue reading...Guardian World · 15 Oct, 19:09

In this story: Wes Streeting · Pete Hegseth · Ukraine · United States · Starlink · Volodymyr Zelensky · Donald Trump

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