UK Prime Minister Burnham tells Trump Ukraine needs 'full access to Starlink,' raises Argentina's pressure over Falklands oil field

LONDON

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham held a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump on Oct. 23 (local time) and stressed that Ukraine must have full access to Starlink. In a readout of the call issued at 7:36 p.m. (local time) that day, the Prime Minister's Office said the two leaders discussed the Sea Lion oil project in the Falkland Islands, and that Burnham raised the economic consequences for the United Kingdom and the United States of Argentina's "coercive measures." The two leaders also discussed the approval of the UK's Jackdaw gas field, nuclear energy cooperation, and support for Saudi Arabia, which is under attack by the Houthi rebels.

Burnham stresses the importance of Ukraine's full access to Starlink

Ukraine was placed at the top of the Prime Minister's Office readout. According to the readout, "The Prime Minister underlined the importance for Ukraine to have full access to Starlink," so that Ukraine can continue to defend itself against Russia's full-scale invasion.

"The Prime Minister recognised the work of President Trump to bring Putin to the negotiation table," the readout said, referring to Russian President Putin. The two leaders agreed to work together with international partners to end the bloodshed.

The Prime Minister's Office did not say who is restricting Starlink access or for what reason.

Burnham had also referred to Trump's mediation earlier, in a statement to the House of Commons on the 12th. Burnham said, "I welcome President Trump's announcement yesterday of a reciprocal energy ceasefire." Burnham told the House that a new sanctions package had been announced and that more than 90% of Russia's oil production capacity was now subject to UK sanctions.

Zelensky says Starlink and Starshield speed limits have not been lifted

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also raised the Starlink issue the same day. According to the Ukrainian presidential office, Zelensky said in an online address to the U.S. think tank Hudson Institute on the 23rd, "the speed limits on Starlink and Starshield are still there." Zelensky said, "the speed has not been restored."

On the situation at the front, Zelensky said, "Things have become harder – partly because of the Starlink and Starshield policies and speed limits." Even so, Zelensky said the front is holding and efforts are being made to maintain logistics. According to the Ukrainian presidential office, Zelensky said that just before the address there had been a call with special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, that Ukraine, the United States and Russia had agreed to hold trilateral talks at the working level (team level), and that they plan to hold them in the first half of November.

The same appeal had been made four days earlier. According to a presidential office statement, at an online meeting with a bipartisan, bicameral delegation of U.S. lawmakers on the 19th, Zelensky said Ukraine is still experiencing speed limits on Starlink and Starshield services at several points along the front, and said, "We still have no explanation for this." According to Zelensky, the speed limits weaken front-line logistics, medium-range strikes and air defense against Shahed drones. Zelensky said jet-powered Shaheds are the hardest to shoot down and argued that Starlink and Starshield must work at higher speeds.

Leaders discuss nuclear cooperation and Jackdaw gas field approval

Energy was the second topic. The Prime Minister's Office said the two leaders welcomed continued cooperation between UK and U.S. companies, including in nuclear energy. The two leaders also discussed the energy secretary's decision to approve the Jackdaw gas field. They agreed that the decision would bring significant benefits, including growing the UK economy and supporting jobs for British workers.

The UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero announced on the 21st that Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh had consented to the regulator's approval of the Jackdaw gas field. According to the department, Jackdaw will increase the UK's domestic gas production by about 6% at peak production and supply gas over a project life of up to 11 years. It is estimated to add about 2.9 billion pounds to the UK economy, and the developer estimates it will create 27 new direct jobs and protect 273 existing jobs. In the same announcement, Burnham said the decision would "protect hundreds of jobs and help keep millions of homes warm this winter."

Falklands Sea Lion project and Argentina's 'coercive measures' on the agenda

The third topic was the Falkland Islands. The Prime Minister's Office said the two leaders discussed the Sea Lion project in the Falkland Islands. "The Prime Minister raised the economic consequences of Argentina's coercive measures for the UK and US," the readout said. Burnham reiterated the importance of respecting the right of the Falkland Islanders to develop their natural resources.

Argentina has moved to block British hydrocarbon development on the continental shelf of the "North Malvinas Basin (Cuenca Malvinas Norte)." The Argentine presidency states that the Malvinas (Falklands), South Georgia, the South Sandwich Islands and the corresponding maritime and insular spaces "belong to all Argentines."

This is not the first time Burnham has raised the Falklands with Trump. In the statement to the House of Commons on the 12th, Burnham reported that during a meeting with Trump in New York, "I also raised the Falkland Islands and the clear and declared will of the islanders to remain British." Burnham said the UK "will also always do whatever it takes to uphold their will."

Argentina steps up pressure with criminal complaints, sanctions proceedings and an ITLOS case

Argentina's government under President Javier Milei rolled out a series of measures in September targeting companies involved in the Falklands oil field. In Official Communiqué No. 160 on Sept. 7, the Argentine presidency announced that Pablo Quirno, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship, would file criminal complaints against five companies. The targets are Navitas Petroleum Development & Production Ltd., Navitas Petroleum Atlantic United, Navitas Petroleum LP, JHI Associates and Echo Atlantic Oil & Gas. The presidency claimed that three of them appear to hold exploration and development licenses issued by the UK government and thus violated Law No. 26.659. The remaining two were listed as shareholders. The complaints also target individuals involved, including the companies' directors and executives. In the same communiqué, Milei instructed Economy Minister Luis Caputo to prioritize construction of an "Integrated Naval Base (Base Naval Integrada)" in the 2027 budget bill.

The next day, Sept. 8, the presidency said in Communiqué No. 161 that it had initiated additional sanctions proceedings against 15 persons and entities for allegedly violating the prohibitions in Article 2 of Law No. 26.659. These were in addition to proceedings already initiated against 45 persons and entities. The targets include both individuals and legal entities, but the communiqué did not name them. The presidency said, "nadie podrá disponer de sus recursos sin la autorización de nuestro país (no one may dispose of its resources without the authorization of our country)."

The pressure also spread to service companies. In Communiqué No. 167 on Oct. 2, the presidency welcomed a decision by Halliburton, one of the world's leading oilfield service companies. The presidency said Halliburton had definitively confirmed that "ninguna de sus filiales, tanto en el país como en el resto del mundo, prestará servicios para el proyecto Sea Lion (none of its subsidiaries, either in the country or in the rest of the world, will provide services for the Sea Lion project)," and described this as the result of joint work by the Office of Legal Technical Affairs and the Foreign Ministry. The communiqué carried no direct statement from Halliburton.