Trumps best bet to cool the Ukraine war and cut oil prices starts with Elon Musk

If President Donald Trump really wants a cease-fire in Ukraine, he’ll pressure Elon Musk to let Kyiv use his Starlink system over Russian territory.Under the current agreement, Ukraine can use the system — which provides indispensable internet access via satellites — only in Ukrainian territory.Kyiv wants permission to use it at least 125 miles over the border; Musk has been hesitant, saying he doesn’t want his company responsible for helping escalate the war.Trump should set him straight: Starlink can be the key to de-escalation.Improved guidance over Russia for Ukrainian attack and reconnaissance drones would boost Kyiv’s ability to hit Vladimir Putin’s missile launchers and key infrastructure — and push the Russian strongman to the table faster than anything else.Kyiv’s already had great success in striking Russia’s oil facilities; letting Putin know that it’s about to get better, curbing the petro-sales that bring him vital revenue, is just the kind of pressure that can force him to make a deal.In UN remarks Wednesday, President Volodymyr Zelensky stressed that Ukraine’s ultimate target is not Russian oil facilities but Putin’s ability to finance and “drag out the war”: Starlink can shorten the war.Trump can also use his new powers under the Lindsey Graham sanctions law to slap countries that buy Russian energy or help Moscow skirt sanctions.All this pressure can convince Putin to agree to at least an “energy cease-fire” before winter hits, avoiding suffering for both countries.“This winter could be very hard for us, but in response we will have no choice but to make it painful for Russia, too,” if Putin “continues to target our energy system and our heating,” warned Zelensky.We get it: With midterm elections approaching, Trump is worried about oil prices, particularly diesel, so he doesn’t want Russian oil sites targeted.But the best way to settle the markets is tightening the screws on Putin to get him to OK a mutual h...