Europe must build its own Starlink after US proves unreliable

On October 14, Kyiv reported new restrictions on its use of Starlink and its military component Starshield, causing connectivity losses that compromised military operations, highlighting Europe's urgent need to reduce reliance on US satellite technology. The restrictions follow Elon Musk's increasingly ambiguous stance on the war, with unclear responsibility among Musk, the Pentagon, and the White House. The restrictions come amid rising US-Ukraine tensions, with President Trump pressuring Kyiv on strikes, sanctions, and elections. In response, the Renew Europe group sent a letter on October 14 urging the EU to accelerate Ukraine's access to Govsatcom, mobilize European commercial operators, and speed up development of the Iris² secure satellite system, though EU leaders acknowledged Starlink cannot be replaced in the short term. Europe already possesses some capabilities, including the operational OneWeb constellation and Govsatcom for pooling member states' satellite resources, but the industrial and technological gap with the US remains enormous. The EU's political will to build satellite communications autonomy is now being tested against the backdrop of war and global disorder.