A fortnight ago, an agreement between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin to provide large quantities of Russian diesel globally caught Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy off guard, leading to feelings of betrayal on his part. Trump’s subsequent comment advocating for a change in leadership in Ukraine further fueled tensions.
Shortly after this revelation, Ukraine encountered issues with its Starshield access, a military-grade variant of SpaceX’s Starlink, resulting in a significant slowdown in their drone operations and a decrease in their ability to counter Russian attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure and civilian zones.
Ukraine pointed fingers at the White House, which denied any involvement. Reports by The Wall Street Journal suggested that Elon Musk had issued directives, which Musk refuted. This incident raised concerns about the influence wielded by the wealthiest individual globally and the ramifications of such power in international conflicts.
Sharon Weinberger, an experienced national security journalist and author, including the recent publication ‘Valley of Death: How Big Tech Is Fueling the Future of War,’ offers insights into the Starlink controversy and the expanding role of Silicon Valley in global military affairs.
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