Poland has purchased Starlink terminals for Kyiv, which are essential for coordinating Ukraine’s armed forces, Polish Minister of Digital Affairs Krzysztof Gawkowski claims. Given this, he says he cannot imagine Ukraine being cut off from the service.
Earlier reports warned that the US was considering disabling Starlink if Kyiv did not sign a mineral resources deal. After Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy refused to sign a rare minerals investment deal worth $500 billion, stating that Ukraine had received only $98.5 billion from the US since 2022, US President Donald Trump called him a “dictator without elections” and accused Ukraine of starting the war with Russia after US-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia. The agreement also lacked security guarantees or assurances of further military aid, alongside other unfavorable terms.
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“We are paying and will continue to pay Ukraine’s subscription for satellite internet. I cannot imagine anyone deciding to terminate a business contract for a commercial service in which Poland is a party,” Gawkowski wrote social media.
Since the beginning of Russia’s all-out war, Ukraine has relied on Starlink for critical military communications on the front lines, as well as for civilian needs.
However, on 22 February, reports emerged that US negotiators suggested cutting Ukraine’s access to Starlink satellite internet if Kyiv refuses to grant access to its critical minerals.
Meanwhile, some media outlets say Russian forces are widely using Starlink terminals acquired through a black market in the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war.
These satellite internet devices, originally used only by Ukraine as a military asset, have been used by Russian troops to enhance their battlefield coordination, drone operations, and artillery accuracy.
Earlier, CNN sources said that the US is demanding far more from Ukraine in a proposed agreement on mineral resources than it spends on Ukraine’s defense.
The US is seeking access to Ukraine’s strategically important resources, while Ukraine is pushing for security guarantees—not just the return of lost territories but also protection against future Russian aggression.
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