Kaja Kallas warns that the EU cannot quickly replace Starlink in Ukraine, after restrictions affected military communications: “Starlink is truly indispensable for Ukraine”

The European Union cannot replace, in the near future, the satellite communication services provided to Ukraine by Starlink, said the EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, on Friday, October 16, at the EU summit in Brussels. The official explained that the Ukrainian army depends on this technology for communications and the coordination of defense operations.

The statement comes after Kyiv reported restrictions that affected satellite communications and accused its allies of failing to provide warnings about imminent Russian attacks. According to a source in the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, the system’s operation was restored the following day.

SpaceX, the company owned by Elon Musk, operates Starlink for civilian use and Starshield, intended for military applications. Musk claimed that any limitations on Starshield were imposed by the US government, not by the company.

Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten said that Europeans and Americans are discussing solutions to maintain Ukraine’s connectivity. Europe has its own infrastructure, including through Eutelsat, but has far fewer satellites than the SpaceX constellation. Kallas stressed that the situation highlights the need to strengthen European defense capabilities.

Read also: Informat.ro summary / Without satellites from Washington, Zelensky looks to Paris. Can Eutelsat/OneWeb save Ukraine from dependence on Starlink?