Musk says Zelensky should 'go' as doubts grow over US support for Ukraine

A day earlier, Zelenskiy called on Musk to restore Starlink, which Kyiv says has been slowed down

Tech billionaire Elon Musk called on Wednesday for Volodymyr Zelensky to "go" as Ukraine's president, as Kyiv raised doubts over US support for the war-torn country.

Ukraine accused the United States this week of helping Russia by failing to warn it of incoming missile strikes and hobbling Kyiv's military response through changes to Musk's satellite system, which it uses for communications.

"And so the slaughter continues," Musk wrote on X. "Time for Zelensky to go."

And so the slaughter continues …

Time for Zelensky to go https://t.co/tMBThajxhH

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 15, 2026

Zelensky had called on Musk to restore Starlink, which was designed by the mogul's SpaceX company and which Kyiv says has been slowed down.

Musk said any disruption was the responsibility of the US government.

Read: Starlink curbs hit Ukraine's drone ops

"Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government. Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS," Musk posted on Wednesday, referring to US President Donald Trump.

Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government. Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS.

Starlink is a commercial service owned and controlled by SpaceX. Usage of Starlink is limited to civilian or defensive activities…

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 14, 2026

Ukrainian defence officials have suggested Washington is behind slower speeds reported on some internet terminals that help the country's military hit Russian-occupied territory and operate interceptor drones.

'Betrayed'

The row comes after Zelensky replied in the affirmative when asked if he felt "betrayed" after US President Donald Trump announced a diesel-supply deal with heavily sanctioned Moscow.

Trump, facing key midterm elections next month in which fuel prices are a major issue, has blamed Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries for the squeeze on supplies and increase in prices at the pump.

A senior official in Kyiv confirmed that the United States had in recent days threatened to stop providing intelligence about Russian missile launches that Ukraine uses to thwart attacks.

Trump denied doing so on Tuesday.