World

UK's Streeting says he and Hegseth welcomed Starlink restoration

October 16, 2026 2:20 pm

Source: Reuters

Britain’s defense minister ‌said he and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth welcomed the restoration of the Starlink service in Ukraine in talks on Thursday, and he stressed the need to move forward in supporting Kyiv following renewed discord between the US and Ukrainian leaders.

In an appearance on Fox News’ “The ​Story with Martha MacCallum,” Wes Streeting said it was “not the first time we’ve seen a falling out ​between President Trump and President Zelenskiy.”

“It is, I think, important after events of recent ⁠days that we move forward in a collective spirit,” he said, adding that he had quoted Saint Francis of ​Assisi in his meeting with Hegseth at the Pentagon: “Where there is discord, may we bring harmony.”

“The UK sees our ​role and responsibility at times like this to bring our friends back together again,” Streeting said.

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“We need President Trump engaged on Ukraine. He has been, and the diplomatic track is as important in ending the war as making sure Ukraine has the weapons it needs ​to see off Russian aggression,” he said.

Ukraine said Elon Musk’s SpaceX had restricted Starlink services on Wednesday, hampering the ​country’s attack and air-defense drone missions as worsening ties with Washington have fueled concerns over US battlefield support.