Robert Besser
28 Feb 2025, 16:10 GMT+10
WARSAW, Poland: Deputy Prime Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski confirmed over the weekend that Poland has been covering the cost of Ukraine's Starlink subscription and will continue to do so.
The announcement comes amid reports that the United States could reconsider Ukraine's access to the satellite internet system, which has been crucial for both civilian and military communications in the war-torn country.
According to sources familiar with the discussions, U.S. officials have raised the possibility of cutting Ukraine's access to Starlink while pressing Kyiv for increased access to the country's critical mineral resources.
"We pay and will continue to pay a subscription fee for satellite internet for Ukraine," Gawkowski wrote in a post on X, the social media platform owned by Elon Musk.
"I cannot imagine that someone could decide to terminate a business contract for a commercial service to which Poland is a party," he added.
Starlink, operated by SpaceX, has played a pivotal role in keeping Ukraine connected since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. In addition to supporting military operations, the satellite internet network has provided critical communication infrastructure for civilians, emergency services, and government institutions.
According to information from the Polish presidency, Poland has delivered 20,000 Starlink units to Ukraine since the war began and has also funded their maintenance.
Neither SpaceX nor Ukrainian military officials have commented on the latest reports.
Meanwhile, Polish President Andrzej Duda is set to meet with Donald Trump later on Saturday during a visit to the United States. The meeting takes place amid increasing tensions between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, raising concerns among Kyiv's European allies about continued Western support for Ukraine.
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