The temporary restriction of Ukraine's access to Starlink and the Starshield military system is the “last warning shot for Europe“ and shows how far the continent is from real strategic independence. This is what the chief reporter of the German WELT Ibrahim Naber wrote in a commentary dedicated to Kiev's dependence on American technology.
Starlink is of key importance for the communications of the Ukrainian armed forces. The military maintains contact on the battlefield through portable terminals, and the technology is also used in drone operations. Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov called the satellite network “the lifeblood of our entire communications infrastructure.”
According to WELT, the temporary and sudden curtailment of Starlink and Starshield has affected Ukraine’s important operational capabilities. A Ukrainian officer working with drones compared the consequences to “a nuclear strike on us” and claimed that medium-range operations had been suspended. He said this had made it difficult to support the infantry as well as to attack Russian ammunition depots and command centers in depth.
WELT separately reported, citing two American and one Western government official, that the order to curtail Starshield came from the White House. However, the sources did not specify who specifically made the decision. A senior US official said that President Donald Trump had not issued such an order. Some of the system's functionality was later restored.
According to Naber's analysis, the incident reveals a larger strategic problem. In recent months, Ukraine has deepened its dependence on American technology for its drone operations. The combination of American Hornet and Starlink drones is considered by the Ukrainian military to be particularly effective in medium-range operations, but the same technological dependence can also become a serious vulnerability.
The main criticism in the analysis is directed at Europe. According to the author, European countries are still unable to offer Ukraine a full-fledged alternative to Starlink. A similar dependence exists in air defense, where American missiles for Patriot systems are important.
“No government in its right mind should allow its military or critical infrastructure to depend on American systems like Starlink or Palantir“, warns Naber.
According to him, what happened should be perceived as a signal for Europe to accelerate its own technological and defense capabilities. Otherwise, decisions made in Washington could directly affect European security and Ukraine's ability to conduct military operations.
Source: WELT