Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that European countries have already launched the process of developing their own satellite network, which could become a full-fledged equivalent to the American Starlink. The head of state told journalists about this, RBC-Ukraine reports. According to him, European states have seen from their own experience that the United States is capable of restricting the operation of the satellite service, and it was this that pushed Brussels to create an alternative.
Europe takes on its own satellite project
«Europe sees this. It is not just our concern. All of Europe has seen that the operation of Starlink can be regulated from the United States of America, regardless of agreements and contracts, and speed can be restricted. Therefore, Europeans themselves are now raising the issue of alternatives, and they are already working, they are already moving forward,” Zelenskyy emphasized. He added that, in his opinion, Europe will certainly be able to successfully implement the new project. The president recalled that European users also depend on the American satellite system and therefore cannot ignore the events that have taken place.
Context: Starlink restrictions for the Ukrainian military
The statement came against the backdrop of recent problems faced by Ukraine's Defense Forces due to restrictions on Starlink operations. Zelenskyy had previously officially confirmed that in recent days the Ukrainian military encountered problems after he asked the US to provide missiles for Patriot systems, which are necessary to protect the population from Russian attacks. According to RBC-Ukraine sources, due to the restrictions, Ukrainian interceptors were unable to destroy jet-powered Shaheds. Later it became known that the operation of the Starlink "military package" had been restored at its previous speed.
Who is behind the restrictions: positions diverge
The reason for the introduced restrictions remains a subject of contradictory statements. The White House assured the Ukrainian side that it was not involved in imposing the restrictions and explained that it does not control the activities of SpaceX. In turn, SpaceX owner Elon Musk stated that he had not made any decisions regarding Ukraine and suggested that the American authorities or the Pentagon might be involved in the restrictions. Thus, neither side assumes direct responsibility for what happened.
What this means for Europe and Ukraine
The initiative to create a European satellite equivalent turns the technical incident surrounding Starlink into a strategic project of communication sovereignty. For Ukraine, which during the war critically depends on satellite communications to coordinate actions on the front line, dependence on a single American provider has become a vulnerability. For Europe, developing its own network is a step toward reducing technological dependence on the US. In any case, as Zelenskyy emphasizes, the project is no longer at the discussion stage: according to him, Europeans "are already working" and "are already moving forward."
