Skip to content
Edit post

EU weighs satellite alternatives for Ukraine amid Starlink concerns, Politico reports

by Tim Zadorozhnyy March 3, 2025 5:16 PM 2 min read
The Starlink logo in an illustrative photo dated Nov. 10, 2023. (Budrul Chukrut/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
This audio is created with AI assistance

The European Commission is assessing ways to help Ukraine secure satellite communications in case access to the Starlink network is restricted, Politico reported on March 3.

Starlink has played a vital role in Ukraine's battlefield communications, with around 42,000 terminals providing service to the military, medical facilities, businesses, and aid organizations.

The review comes amid reports that the U.S. threatened to cut Ukraine's access to Starlink if Kyiv did not reach a deal with Washington over critical mineral resources.

On Feb. 22, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk denied that the U.S. had made such a threat.

Ukraine had shown interest in alternative satellite options, including Govsatcom, a shared network of EU national government satellites, and IRIS, a new constellation expected to be operational in the 2030s, according to European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier.

Member of the European Parliament Christophe Grudler urged the EU to "assess all possible alternative satellite solutions that the EU could offer Ukraine" as a Starlink replacement.

He suggested that Govsatcom deployment could be expedited this year by skipping the certification process and providing a temporary solution while IRIS is being developed.

SpaceX began supplying Starlink terminals to Ukraine shortly after Russia's full-scale invasion, giving Kyiv a critical advantage in battlefield connectivity.

Musk, whom U.S. President Donald Trump has tasked with eliminating "fraud" and "waste" in the U.S. budget, has become increasingly vocal in criticizing Ukraine and amplifying Russian disinformation.

He has also called for shutting down the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which provided vital humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

Russia plans to launch 500 kamikaze drones per day at Ukraine, HUR says
Russia currently uses 150 to 200 drones per attack against Ukraine, but Russian forces plan to increase their capabilities to 500, Vadym Skibitskyi said.

News Feed

10:46 AM

US halts Ukraine-bound weapons already staged in Poland, WSJ reports.

The shipment includes over two dozen PAC-3 Patriot missiles, more than two dozen Stinger air-defense systems, Hellfire air-to-ground missiles, and over 90 AIM air-to-air missiles intended for use with Ukraine's F-16 fighter jets, according to U.S. administration and congressional officials cited by the Wall Street Journal.
MORE NEWS

Editors' Picks

Enter your email to subscribe
Please, enter correct email address
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required

Subscribe

* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Explaining Ukraine with Kate Tsurkan
* indicates required
Successfuly subscribed
Thank you for signing up for this newsletter. We’ve sent you a confirmation email.