Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivered a sharp criticism of Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, accusing him of fabricating claims and displaying a lack of gratitude. Rubio’s remarks came in response to Sikorski’s assertion that Ukraine might have to explore alternatives to the Starlink satellite system.
Poland currently funds Ukraine’s access to Starlink, a service owned by Elon Musk that plays a vital role in maintaining internet connectivity for the country and its military operations.
Musk, a prominent figure in President Donald Trump’s administration, took to his X social media platform on Sunday, emphasizing the system’s importance. “Ukraine’s entire front line would collapse if I turned it (Starlink) off,” he stated. He also expressed frustration over the prolonged war, writing that he was “sickened by … years of slaughter in a stalemate that Ukraine will inevitably lose.”
The U.S. government has already taken steps to limit Ukraine’s access to certain intelligence resources, including revoking some satellite imagery and pausing intelligence sharing. These measures have increased pressure on Kyiv, as Trump pushes for a resolution to the conflict, now in its fourth year since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
During negotiations concerning Ukraine’s valuable mineral resources, U.S. officials reportedly raised the possibility of restricting the country’s use of Starlink, according to sources who spoke to Reuters in February.
Sikorski later posted on X to clarify Poland’s financial involvement, writing, “Starlinks for Ukraine are paid for by the Polish Digitization Ministry at the cost of about $50 million per year.” He also voiced concerns about SpaceX’s reliability, stating, “The ethics of threatening the victim of aggression apart, if SpaceX proves to be an unreliable provider we will be forced to look for other suppliers.”
Rubio swiftly countered Sikorski’s remarks, dismissing them as baseless. “No-one has made any threats about cutting Ukraine off from Starlink,” he posted on X. He further chastised Sikorski, adding, “And say thank you because without Starlink Ukraine would have lost this war long ago and Russians would be on the border with Poland right now.”
Musk backed Rubio’s response, later posting on X that the Secretary of State’s statements were “absolutely correct.”
In another direct response to Sikorski’s post, Musk fired back, saying, “Be quiet, small man. You pay a tiny fraction of the cost. And there is no substitute for Starlink.”
A spokesperson for Poland’s foreign ministry told Reuters via text message that Starlink’s services were not a charitable offering from the U.S. and that Poland pays a subscription fee for them.
Meanwhile, speculation that the Franco-British satellite company Eutelsat could potentially replace Starlink as Ukraine’s internet provider led to a dramatic surge in the firm’s stock price. Over the course of the week ending March 7, shares skyrocketed as much as 650% before retreating slightly to close the week with a gain of around 380%.
Despite reports suggesting the U.S. might consider halting Ukraine’s access to Starlink, Poland announced in February that it remained committed to covering the subscription costs for now.
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