DISCLAIMER: GoldInvestors.news is not a registered investment, legal or tax advisor or broker/dealer. All investment/financial opinions expressed by GoldInvestors.news are from the personal research and experience of the owner of the site and are intended as educational material. Although best efforts are made to ensure that all information is accurate and up to date, occasionally unintended errors and misprints may occur.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday to tread carefully when discussing American support for Ukraine, sharply challenging his claim that Washington was responsible for restrictions affecting Starlink services.

The dispute centers on recently restricted U.S. provided satellite internet in Ukraine. The slowdown has hindered the war torn country’s ability to respond to Russian assaults, including operations involving vehicles and drones.

Ukraine uses Starshield, the military and government controlled version of SpaceX’s commercial Starlink network, to conduct military operations. Starlink is the high speed satellite internet service provided by Elon Musk’s SpaceX.

During an earlier appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Zelenskyy said he believed the U.S. government was responsible for the slowdown. He also said Ukraine had been “blocked” from U.S. intelligence for a period of time.

Zelenskyy said vehicles and drones connected to Starshield continued to face speed restrictions. Bessent responded by accusing the Ukrainian president of making a reckless and untrue charge against the Trump administration.

“President [Donald] Trump and Secretary [Marco] Rubio have categorically said that no one under the Trump administration did that, and I think it is very reckless for President Zelenskyy to make such a charge,” Bessent said on “Meet the Press.”

Bessent then delivered a direct warning about Zelenskyy’s public comments. “President Zelenskyy should be very careful about making statements like this that aren’t true,” he added.

Musk offered an account that placed control of Starshield firmly with Washington. In a post on X last week, he said the U.S. government and President Donald Trump are ultimately responsible for any limitations placed on the military system.

“Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government,” Musk wrote. “Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS.”

SpaceX did not respond to CNBC’s request for comment. Reuters reported last week that the White House had ordered the technology restrictions, while Trump denied responsibility for the slowdown.

“Well, I don’t know if it was anybody because it wasn’t me, and I don’t think it was Elon,” Trump said last week. “And from what I understand, it’s the same as it’s always been.”

The dispute arrives as the U.S. relationship with Ukraine faces intense scrutiny during Trump’s second term. Trump has frequently antagonized the war torn country while pressing for a peace agreement.

Trump has also expressed frustration over Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries as voters confront sharply higher gasoline and diesel prices before the U.S. midterm elections. He has personally blamed Zelenskyy for contributing to rising energy costs.

“He wants to make problems for the world. He wants to make problems for our farmers, our ranchers, with diesel fuel,” Trump said.

The source attributed soaring energy prices largely to the U.S. war with Iran, which severely disrupted the Strait of Hormuz and constrained oil shipments from the Persian Gulf. AAA reported that the national average for a gallon of gasoline was nearly $4.30 on Sunday, while diesel stood near $6.32 per gallon, roughly 20 cents below September’s record high.

Trump has sought to ease that pressure by importing Russian diesel. In a Truth Social post earlier in the month, he wrote: “Diesel Prices for Americans and, indeed, the World, will be COMING DOWN, IN RECORD NUMBERS, AND FAST!”

Numerous U.S. lawmakers, including Republicans, condemned the plan to purchase Russian diesel. Congress sent Trump an overwhelmingly bipartisan sanctions package intended to cripple Russia’s energy industry, which he signed before waiving portions over the weekend and citing the national interest in an explanation to Congress.

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., condemned that decision in a post on X. “Beyond irresponsible. What part of enforcing a law passed 86-11 by the Senate does the President and his advisors not understand?” he wrote. “It’s unconscionable that this administration is capitulating to a Russian dictator who illegally invaded Ukraine and butchers innocent civilians every single day.”

DISCLAIMER: GoldInvestors.news is not a registered investment, legal or tax advisor or broker/dealer. All investment/financial opinions expressed by GoldInvestors.news are from the personal research and experience of the owner of the site and are intended as educational material. Although best efforts are made to ensure that all information is accurate and up to date, occasionally unintended errors and misprints may occur.