EU demands urgent Starlink restoration in Ukraine, calls restrictions concerning

The European Commission demanded Wednesday that Elon Musk's SpaceX urgently restore full Starlink service in Ukraine, following Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelensky's complaints about speed restrictions on the satellite internet network along the front lines with Russia. EU Defense spokesperson Thomas Regnier called the reported slowdowns "deeply concerning" and inconsistent with SpaceX's previous service, stressing Kyiv needs the connectivity to keep soldiers linked and protect citizens. He requested immediate restoration while acknowledging Europe must bolster its own space capabilities. The EU is developing IRIS2, a new satellite constellation with Spanish participation, though top diplomat Kaja Kallas admitted Europe cannot replace Starlink's capacity short-term. Zelensky also raised alarms over restricted drone-defense capabilities and missing US intelligence warnings on Russian bombardments.