Ukraine's Starshield contract expiring: New US talks needed
Photo: Starlink terminal (Getty Images)
The contract with the US government regarding Ukraine's access to the Starshield satellite network expires in 2027. Negotiations on its extension are urgently needed, according to Denys Sienik, chargé d’affaires at the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington.
Starshield contract
Ukraine is seeking to begin negotiations on extending the Starshield contract, a high-ranking Ukrainian diplomat said on November 5.
Denys Sienik says that Kyiv has still not received an explanation regarding the restrictions on Starshield services imposed last month.
"The contract expires next year for Starshield. And we understand that it requires time to negotiate a new one. Now is actually the time," he says.
According to him, Ukraine needs clarity on whether it will be able to extend the contract.
Sienik does not specify the exact month the contract expires, saying only that it will happen in the middle of next year.
Access issues
The US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations is preparing a major investigation.
According to a Democratic aide in the Senate, letters were sent to Musk, among others. The reason was instances of slowdowns in the Starshield satellite system's performance in Ukraine.
In addition, on October 24, American billionaire Elon Musk stated that without Starlink, the Ukrainian front would have collapsed immediately.
According to him, the Ukrainian military violated the terms of service, so the loophole was closed.
Furthermore, the Inspector General of the US Department of Defense refused to investigate disruptions in the operation of the Starlink and Starshield satellite systems in Ukraine, despite a request from both parties in the Senate.
