Ukraine seeks new Starshield contract as current deal expires in 2027

Ukraine's contract with the US government for access to the Starshield satellite network expires in mid-2027, and Kyiv urgently wants to begin negotiations on a new agreement. Acting Ukrainian Ambassador to Washington Denys Senik stated Kyiv seeks to start talks as soon as possible because concluding a new contract takes time, though he did not specify the exact expiry month. This follows last month's sudden speed restrictions on the system that complicated intercepting Russian drones and forced cancellation of some operations. Senik said Ukraine received no explanations from Washington or SpaceX, owned by Elon Musk, despite appeals to the Pentagon, White House, and the company. The restrictions were reportedly lifted on October 24, with President Volodymyr Zelensky confirming restored speeds, while Musk stated the US government controls Starshield operations.