No satellite images

Access blocked! USA deals new blow to Kiev

Satellite images are considered vital in this war.(Bild: EPA/MARIA SENOVILLA)

The US technology company Maxar has blocked Ukraine's access to its satellite images. The White House would have insisted on this momentous decision. US President Donald Trump also defused his own threat to the Kremlin. 

The US government has decided to temporarily block Ukrainian access to the Global Enhanced Geoint Delivery satellite imagery service, the US company announced. This affects both government accounts and private access. Several users had previously confirmed the blocking of access to the Ukrainian military blog "Militarnyj" on condition of anonymity.

According to "Militarnyj", the background to this is the temporary halt of intelligence information to Kiev by the USA. Following the scandal at the meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi at the White House, the US government had also suspended the provision of intelligence information for the time being in addition to stopping its military aid.

Major setback for Kiev
"Militarnyj" described Maxar as possibly the leading provider of commercial satellite images for users in Ukraine when it comes to the movement of Russian troops or the consequences of damage to important objects both in the occupied territories and in Russia.

This Maxar image of Russian troop movements shortly before the invasion went around the world.(Bild: AFP/Maxar)

Meanwhile, the gradual withdrawal of US support is also leaving its mark in Ukraine. Following US President Donald Trump's verbal attacks on his Ukrainian counterpart, his poll ratings in his own country have risen significantly. In a survey published on Friday by the Kiev Institute KIIS, 67% of respondents expressed their trust in the head of state - ten percentage points more than a month earlier.

Trump's attacks strengthen cohesion
The survey took place between February 14 and March 4. During this period, Trump disparaged Zelenskyi as a "dictator" and blamed him for Russia's attack on Ukraine, among other things. Trump's verbal attacks culminated a week ago in a scandal in the White House.

The poll result suggests that Trump's attacks strengthened support for Zelensky in his own country, the polling institute explained. "We are experiencing a process of unification of society against the backdrop of new challenges for Ukraine," explained KIIS director Anton Gruschetsky. Apparently, Ukrainians perceive Trump's rhetoric as an "attack on the whole of Ukraine and all Ukrainians".

Trump softens his own threat again
On Friday, US President Trump threatened Russia and Vladimir Putin with economic consequences if the latter did not return to the negotiating table immediately. Shortly afterwards, however, he expressed understanding for the Russian president's current actions in the Ukraine war. "I think he's doing what anyone else would do," said the Republican when asked whether Putin was taking advantage of the current suspension of US military aid to Kiev. "Probably anybody in that position would be doing that right now."

Trump again emphasized his "good relationship" with Putin and claimed that the Russian president wanted to "end the war". He also believed Putin would be "more generous than he has to be".

When asked why the US government was no longer providing Ukraine with defense resources and what would happen if these were exhausted, Trump replied: "We're out of there because we want them to come to an agreement. I'm doing this to stop the dying."