Elon Musk's throttling of Ukraine's Starlink service for offensive drone strikes has spurred European and Ukrainian officials to accelerate efforts to find non-U.S. alternatives, with Finnish firms ICEYE and Nokia last week announcing a deal with Ukraine's defense ministry to explore sovereign satellite communications.
The episode, which temporarily disrupted Ukraine's drone usage, has exposed how dependent a military can be on a single provider, shaking officials in Europe and the U.S. SpaceX, Starlink's parent company, holds a commanding lead in space-based connectivity with more than 11,000 satellites, while France-based Eutelsat has over 600 satellites in its OneWeb network. Starlink announced this summer it had reached 12 million customers across more than 160 countries and territories.
Last week, ICEYE and Nokia said they had signed an agreement with Ukraine's defense ministry to explore sovereign satellite communications, with initial satellites expected to launch in 2028. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in the announcement: "Modern warfare has proven that reliable communications are a matter of national security. We must all rely on capabilities that we can control."
The Wall Street Journal reported that Musk ordered the slowdown of Ukraine's Starlink service. Other outlets have said the White House was involved, which President Trump denied. Musk responded on Oct. 24 that Ukraine "violated Starlink terms of service" by using it for offensive drone strikes, adding that the "loophole" was recently "closed."
After Starlink's connection was throttled, shares in Eutelsat spiked. In an interview on French TV last week, Eutelsat CEO Jean-François Fallacher said the company's service is already available in Ukraine and can be used for drones. "If one day we wanted to decide to cut off a country or to no longer offer services in a country, it is not a decision made by the CEO alone. It is a decision made by our board of directors with a traditional governance system that we find in Europe," Fallacher said.
Rebecca Wasser, the defense lead at Bloomberg Economics, said the Starlink incident shows a "loss of faith" not only in the U.S. security commitment but also in a U.S. company's ability to provide key services. "I think we are going to see more of this push towards European sovereign capability when it comes down to space-based communications," she said.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) wrote in a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth last week: "Satellite communications are no longer simply a support function. The events in Ukraine show how a single point of control can be turned against the forces that depend on it."
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The episode demonstrates how a single company's decisions can affect a nation's battlefield capabilities, raising concerns about strategic dependence on private providers.
- European push for sovereign satellite communications could reshape the space-based connectivity market, reducing reliance on U.S. firms.
- Ukraine's experience may drive other countries to diversify their military communications infrastructure.
Background
Starlink has been a critical communications link for Ukraine since the Russian invasion, providing internet connectivity for both civilian and military use. SpaceX's Starlink constellation is the world's largest satellite network, giving it unmatched global coverage. The incident follows earlier tensions over Starlink's use in warfare, including Musk's previous decision to restrict access to Crimea, and reflects broader European efforts to build independent technological capabilities in defense and communications.
Key Perspectives
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk: Ukraine violated Starlink terms of service by using it for offensive drone strikes, and the loophole has been closed.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Reliable communications are a matter of national security, and Ukraine must rely on capabilities it can control.
Eutelsat CEO Jean-François Fallacher: The company's service is already available in Ukraine and can be used for drones; any decision to cut off a country would be made by the board, not the CEO alone.
Rebecca Wasser, Bloomberg Economics defense lead: The incident shows a loss of faith in the U.S. security commitment and in a U.S. company's ability to provide key services, likely driving a push toward European sovereign capability in space-based communications.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.): The events in Ukraine show how a single point of control can be turned against the forces that depend on it.
What to Watch
- ICEYE and Nokia's satellite launches set for 2028, and whether other European firms announce similar partnerships.
- Eutelsat's market share in Ukraine and whether governments sign long-term contracts to lock in access.
- Any future Starlink terms-of-service changes or restrictions that could alter Ukraine's battlefield capabilities.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 8 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedMusk said Ukraine “violated Starlink terms of service” by using the service for offensive drone strikes and said the “loophole” had been “closed.”Axios: “Musk responded on Oct. 24 that Ukraine “violated Starlink terms of service” by using it for offensive drone strikes. That “loophole,” he added, was recently “closed.””
- SupportedZelenskyy said, “Modern warfare has proven that reliable communications are a matter of national security. We must all rely on capabilities that we can control.”Axios: ““Modern warfare has proven that reliable communications are a matter of national security,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in the ICEYE-and-Nokia announcement. “We must all rely on capabilities that we can control.””
- Partly supportedFallacher said a decision to stop providing service to a country would be made by Eutelsat’s board, not the CEO alone, under its European governance system.Axios: ““If one day we wanted to decide to cut off a country or to no longer offer services in a country, it is not a decision made by the CEO alone. It is a decision made by our board of directors with a traditional governance system that we find in Europe,” Fallacher said, according to a translation.”
- SupportedWasser said the incident showed a “loss of faith” in the U.S. security commitment and U.S. companies’ ability to provide key services, and predicted a greater push for European sovereign capability in space communications.Axios: “Rebecca Wasser, the defense lead at Bloomberg Economics, said the Starlink incident shows a “loss of faith” not only in the U.S. security commitment, but also in a U.S. company's ability to provide key services. “I think we are going to see more of this push towards European sovereign capability when it comes down to space-based communications,” Wasser told Axios.”
- SupportedBlumenthal wrote that satellite communications are no longer simply a support function and that events in Ukraine show a single point of control can be turned against dependent forces.Axios: ““Satellite communications are no longer simply a support function,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) wrote in a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth last week. “The events in Ukraine show how a single point of control can be turned against the forces that depend on it.””
- SupportedStarlink restrictions in Ukraine are pushing Europe toward rival satellite providers.Axios: “Rival satellite companies are jockeying to loosen Elon Musk's grip on battlefield communications after his company's restrictions on Ukraine's Starlink service shook officials in Europe and the U.S.”
- SupportedFinnish firms ICEYE and Nokia struck an agreement with Ukraine’s defense ministry to explore sovereign satellite communications.Axios: “Last week, Finnish firms ICEYE and Nokia announced an agreement with Ukraine's defense ministry to explore “sovereign satellite communications.””
- Partly supportedEutelsat shares surged because Musk throttled Starlink.Axios: “After Starlink's connection was throttled, shares in Eutelsat spiked.”
- Partly supportedMusk’s throttling of Starlink spurred European and Ukrainian officials to accelerate efforts to find non-U.S. alternatives.Axios: “Now, non-U.S. firms seeking to compete with SpaceX are pitching their services with more urgency.”
- Partly supportedMusk throttled Ukraine’s Starlink service for offensive drone strikes.Axios: “The Wall Street Journal reported last week that Musk ordered the slowdown of Ukraine's Starlink service. Other outlets have said the White House was involved, which President Trump denied. Musk responded on Oct. 24 that Ukraine “violated Starlink terms of service” by using it for offensive drone strikes.”
- SupportedICEYE and Nokia’s initial satellites are expected to launch in 2028.Axios: “The duo's initial satellites are “expected to launch in 2028,” an ICEYE spokesperson told Axios”
- SupportedSpaceX has more than 11,000 satellites, while Eutelsat has more than 600 in its OneWeb network.Axios: “Musk's SpaceX, which is the parent company of Starlink, is by far the world's leader in space-based connectivity with more than 11,000 satellites, per the American Enterprise Institute's data. Eutelsat, a France-based SATCOM firm, is behind them with more than 600 satellites in its OneWeb network.”