European Commissioner for Defense and Space Andrius Kubilius stated in an interview with Radio Liberty, cited by RBC-Ukraine, that the Starlink satellite network could lose the trust of European states if it continues to fail to fulfill its contractual obligations. According to him, this is not about the company's "goodwill" toward Ukraine, but about specific contracts financed by the budgets of several European countries. "First of all, I hope that Starlink will continue to fulfill its contractual obligations. We are not just talking about Starlink's goodwill regarding Ukraine. We are talking about contractual obligations. The contracts are paid for by some European countries," Kubilius stressed.
Warning of Consequences for SpaceX Business
The European Commissioner directly warned Elon Musk's company against the negative consequences of violating agreements. "I hope Starlink understands what non-fulfillment of a contract signed with European countries means. The company could lose trust, and this could have a negative impact on its ability to provide services to European countries and European citizens," Kubilius added. Thus, Brussels is essentially signaling that non-compliance with obligations could lead to restricted access for Starlink to the European telecommunications services market, affecting both military and civilian segments.
Context: The October 14 Starshield Terminals Incident
Kubilius's statements came against the backdrop of a recent technical incident. On October 14, a serious issue arose with the operation of Starshield terminals—the military version of Starlink satellite communications: when exceeding speeds of around 160 km/h, the terminals lost connection. The restriction directly affected the operation of interceptor drones used by Ukrainian defenders to shoot down Russian Shahed drones. According to RBC-Ukraine sources in the Ministry of Defence, the restrictions also complicated the deployment of midstrikes. On the same day, Russia launched one of the most massive attacks on Ukrainian territory, which only heightened the importance of uninterrupted satellite communications for defense.
Kyiv's Reaction and Service Restoration
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly urged Elon Musk to fix the error, which, according to him, could lead to casualties among Ukrainians. On the evening of October 14, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence reported that communication quality at speeds up to 160 km/h had improved, though SpaceX maintained the restriction at the 161 km/h mark. The agency emphasized that contacts with partners and SpaceX are ongoing to ensure stable service conditions and prevent sudden restrictions. On October 24, RBC-Ukraine sources in the Ministry of Defence reported that military Starlink resumed operations at speeds exceeding 161 km/h.
Intelligence Data and Systemic Risks
In addition to issues of speed and terminal availability, Kubilius commented in the same interview on problems regarding the provision of American intelligence data to Ukraine. Although details of these restrictions are not disclosed in available materials, the very fact of the European Commissioner publicly discussing two related topics—satellite communications and intelligence sharing—indicates that Brussels views these elements as parts of a unified system supporting Ukraine's defense and assesses their reliability comprehensively.
What This Means for European Policy
Kubilius's speech marks a shift in EU rhetoric: while satellite communications for Ukraine were previously perceived primarily as a humanitarian or military-technical issue, Brussels now emphasizes the contractual and legal nature of relations with SpaceX. This opens up space for pressure mechanisms—from revising contract terms to reallocating budget flows toward alternative solutions. For Europe, which continues to increase its own defense spending in 2026 and seeks ways to reduce dependence on American technological platforms, the Starlink incident becomes yet another argument in favor of developing its own satellite and telecommunications infrastructures.
