Exclusive: US could cut Ukraine's access to Starlink internet services over minerals, say sources
neuters.de
Ukraine's access to SpaceX-owned Starlink was brought up in talks between U.S. and Ukrainian officials after Ukrainian President Zelenskiy turned down an initial proposal from U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent.
  • US negotiators told Ukraine US could shutoff Starlink if minerals deal not reached
  • SpaceX-owned satellite internet service vital for Ukraine
  • Zelenskiy says U.S. and Ukraine working on an agreement
  • The Quuuuuill@slrpnk.netEnglish
    223·
    1 day ago

    the weird cube man has been dicking around the Ukrainians over his satellite service since before he got involved in the election he just won. if you look into the history of spacex, a meeting with russia looms large in its early history. i personally think he’s been a kremlin asset since 2004, at least.

    • Echo Dot@feddit.ukEnglish
      1·
      12 hours ago

      That is an utterly crazy assertion. The Russians refused to sell him a rocket, if he was a Kremlin asset why would they refuse to sell him a rocket?

      The money is bad enough already, you don’t need to make stuff up.

    • thanksforallthefish@literature.cafeEnglish
      22·
      1 day ago

      He may have been a russian asset since 2004 (I don’t know either way) but it certainly was nothing to do with that SpaceX meeting. He went there to try and buy Russian rocket engines, they told him to pound sand. He was forced to do it the hard way and hire a team and they designed what are now the Falcon 9 engines.

      I don’t understand why people keep making stuff up (not just this post, it’s one of many), he’s evil enough on the actual facts

      • Fermion@feddit.nlEnglish
        7·
        1 day ago

        I see it as an extension of the myth of American purity and external corruption. “This person is evil, some outside power must have compromising info on them.” “Immigrants are violent criminals preying on innocent americans.”

        These attitudes ignore the reality that bad people can come from anywhere. There are plenty of villians with very mundane origin stories. What matters is if everyone else has the will and ability to keep bad people in check and hold them accountable.

        The grifters in charge need no other motivation than a sense of superiority and an opportunity to make a buck.

        • Sturgist@lemmy.caEnglish
          3·
          1 day ago

          What matters is if everyone else has the will and ability to keep bad people in check and hold them accountable.

          Well said.

          The grifters in charge need no other motivation than a sense of superiority and an opportunity to make a buck.

          That’s why corruption is an issue in every political system that we’ve tried, that contains more than a few thousand people.
          Always seems like the people who want to be in power, shouldn’t be…and those that should want nothing to do with it…