UK defence secretary meets US counterpart after Ukraine Starlink system restored

British Defence Secretary Wes Streeting urged the United States to stand by Ukraine during a visit to Washington on October 15, 2026. The Guardian and the Herts Advertiser reported that Streeting sought to cool bilateral tensions following disruptions to Ukraine's Starlink satellite internet system. The Guardian, The Times, and The Independent reported that Streeting said he received direct reassurances from his American counterpart, Pete Hegseth, that the Starlink system has been restored. [1][8][9][10]

The meeting at the Pentagon was Streeting's first with Hegseth since becoming Defence Secretary in July, according to the Guardian. Delivering a speech before their bilateral meeting, Streeting argued that supporting Ukraine was in the long-term interest of the United States and represented a business opportunity, the Guardian reported. Streeting previously served as Health Secretary before taking his current cabinet role, and has served as the Member of Parliament for Ilford North since 2015. [1][2][12]

BBC News reported that Starlink terminals, operated by Elon Musk's SpaceX, connect to thousands of satellites in orbit and serve as the backbone of military communications in Ukraine. The system provides high-speed internet that allows Ukrainian drones to stay connected to operators over long distances while remaining less vulnerable to jamming than conventional radio networks. As FTMQ News reported earlier, overnight restrictions on Starlink terminals moving faster than 160 kilometres per hour had recently disrupted military drone operations. [3][17]

Streeting's visit follows broader strain in relations between Washington and Kyiv, as well as recent calls by US President Donald Trump for Ukraine to replace President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as FTMQ News reported earlier. The Guardian reported that the Pentagon talks were also scheduled to address growing tensions within NATO and the recent removal of American bombers from a military airbase in the United Kingdom. [2][18]