Zelensky says he asked Trump for sanctions on Russian, Chinese firms over Starlink rival

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he turned to US President Donald Trump with a request to impose sanctions on Russian and Chinese companies involved in a satellite communications network project called "Rassvet."

A rival to Starlink

According to Zelensky, the "Rassvet" network is being developed as a competitor to the American satellite internet system Starlink. The Russian and Chinese companies working on the project should, in his view, face international sanctions.

Zelensky directed this request specifically to President Trump, expressing hope that Washington could act against the companies involved in building the alternative satellite system.

Context

Starlink's satellite internet service has taken on significant importance in Ukraine's communications infrastructure, and the development of a competing satellite system by Russia and China is being watched with concern. Zelensky did not disclose further details in his statement about which specific companies might be targeted by sanctions, nor about when such a decision might be made.

The Ukrainian president's request comes amid a broader diplomatic dialogue with the US administration, in which Kyiv has regularly called on its allies to increase pressure on Russia and its partners, including China, across various areas. It remains unclear whether and how the US side has responded to this particular request concerning the "Rassvet" project.