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

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.