After a clash of words with Poland’s outspoken foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski, billionaire Elon Musk pledged to maintain Ukraine’s access to the Starlink satellite network. The assurance came amid fears that Musk may block Ukraine’s access to his internet-providing network after the US suspended providing military intelligence to the war-torn nation.
It is pertinent to note that the private Starlink communication system is used extensively by Kyiv’s frontline troops for battlefield communication. On Sunday, during a fierce clash with the Polish foreign minister on his own social media platform X, Musk pledged that he would not take away Starlink’s access to Ukraine. “To be extremely clear, no matter how much I disagree with the Ukraine policy, Starlink will never turn off its terminals,” Musk wrote.
Exactly!
To be extremely clear, no matter how much I disagree with the Ukraine policy, Starlink will never turn off its terminals.
I am simply stating that, without Starlink, the Ukrainian lines would collapse, as the Russians can jam all other communications!
We would never…
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 9, 2025
“I am simply stating that, without Starlink, the Ukrainian lines would collapse, as the Russians can jam all other communications! We would never do such a thing or use it as a bargaining chip,” he added while sparring with Sikorski, which also drew US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
‘Be quiet, small man’: Musk clashes with Polish FM
The whole saga started on Sunday when Musk argued that Ukraine’s “entire front line would collapse” if he turned off Starlink for Kyiv’s forces. This assertion prompted Sikorski, who said in a post on X: “Starlinks for Ukraine are paid for by the Polish Digitization Ministry at the cost of about $50 million per year.” “The ethics of threatening the victim of aggression apart, if SpaceX proves to be an unreliable provider, we will be forced to look for other suppliers,” he added.
Content retrieved from: https://www.firstpost.com/world/be-quiet-small-man-musk-slams-polish-fm-as-he-vows-not-to-block-ukraines-starlink-access-13870243.html.
