‘Betrayed’: Ukraine leader denounces Trump for siding with Russia amid row with Musk

London: Ukraine has suffered a severe disruption to Starlink networks run by tech titan Elon Musk after days of dispute with Donald Trump, sparking claims the US president has betrayed the country and sided with Russia.

Ukrainian forces cancelled missions after losing access to high-speed services from Musk’s satellite company, days after the world’s richest man backed Trump in criticising Ukraine for attacking Russian targets.

The warnings led Musk to declare that any military use of the Starlink network was a matter for the US government, pointing to Trump as the ultimate authority on whether Ukraine could gain the satellite services it needed to fight Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky went public with his concerns about Trump in an interview with media host Piers Morgan, declaring the American president was not on the “right side of history” and was siding with Russia.

Asked if he felt “betrayed” by what was happening, Zelensky replied: “Really, yes.”

Then, when asked if he felt he was “losing America” as a supporter, Zelensky said: “Yeah.”

“It is a pity that we are losing a strong partner,” he told Morgan in an interview aired late on Wednesday in London (about 3.30am on Thursday, AEDT).

“We’re not selling our country. It’s not about business for us. It’s our life.

“That’s why it’s painful when President Trump chooses one side, not our side. We are OK that he is in the middle, but if you are in the middle you have to stay in the middle. I think his advisers are wrong.

“I don’t know who pushing him not to the right side – this is not to the right side of history.”

The remarks represent a direct criticism of Trump for siding with Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin, at a time when European leaders are showing strong support for Zelensky amid the doubts about Trump’s judgement. So far, European leaders have avoided any public remarks that directly criticise the US president.

Zelensky also confirmed the surprise slowdown in speeds and warned that more civilians would be killed if full Starlink services were not restored for Ukrainian forces.

“We understand what is going on – they switched off, it’s their decision,” Zelensky told Morgan.

“People will die, of course, if attacks will continue and if Starlink will not work.”