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On Friday, 21 February, Reuters reported serious diplomatic tensions between the US and Ukraine. According to the agency’s sources, Washington has threatened Kyiv with the disconnection of the Starlink satellite internet service, which plays a key role in providing communications and controlling drones of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
The reason for the ultimatum: rare earth metals
According to Reuters, the issue of Starlink was raised during talks between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US Special Representative Keith Kellogg on 20 February in Kyiv. The US side expressed dissatisfaction with Ukraine’s refusal to sign an agreement on the supply of rare earth metals, which are critical for the US high-tech industry.
Special Representative Kellogg explicitly stated that in the event of a failure to reach an agreement, Kyiv could face an “inevitable disconnection of Starlink”, which would be a serious challenge for the Ukrainian army. It is worth noting that Zelenskyy had previously rejected the initial version of the agreement during the Munich Security Conference. However, the other day, the Donald Trump administration handed over an updated draft of the agreement to Kyiv, Axios reports.
The importance of Starlink for Ukraine’s defence
After the start of the full-scale Russian invasion, Elon Musk donated thousands of Starlink terminals to Ukraine, which became vital for replacing the destroyed communications networks. Initially, this gesture was perceived as a symbol of international support, but over time, it became the object of political manipulation.
Experts say that Starlink is a key element in the operation of the Armed Forces’ drones. “Ukraine is working on Starlink. They consider it their guiding star,” Reuters quoted a Ukrainian military official as saying. The loss of access to the system could seriously undermine the country’s defence capabilities, especially in the context of active hostilities.
Elon Musk and politics: a complicated story
It is worth mentioning that Elon Musk has already restricted access to Starlink in Ukraine. In the autumn of 2022, he blocked the use of the system for certain military operations, expressing his critical attitude to some of Kyiv’s actions. This decision caused a wave of outrage, raising the question of how safe it is to use commercial technology for military purposes.
What’s next?
Washington’s threat to cut off Starlink presents Kyiv with a difficult choice: give in in the rare earths negotiations or risk losing a strategically important communications system. It also raises the broader question of Ukraine’s dependence on foreign technological resources in times of war.
In the coming weeks, the situation will become clearer, but it is already clear that every diplomatic decision will have far-reaching consequences for Ukraine’s defence capabilities.
