The European Union offered an alternative to Starlink for Ukraine
The European Union is discussing connecting Ukraine to the Govsatcom secure satellite communication program and expects to expand it with commercial capabilities in early 2027.
This was announced by European Commission representative Thomas Renier at a briefing on October 14, answering a question about an alternative to the American Starlink communication system for Kyiv.
"We are currently negotiating with Ukraine for its full connection to Govsatcom," Renier said.
According to him, the program combines the existing satellite capabilities of EU states. He noted that Europe has resources capable of helping Ukraine maintain communication.
The next stage should be the connection of commercial satellite services — in January or early 2027. "Military services can potentially be provided through commercial services," explained the European Commission representative. The European Commission is currently studying how to include them in Govsatcom, Renier noted.
The expansion of the program will allow for the provision of necessary services before the full launch of the European IRIS satellite constellation, which will comprise more than 300 satellites.
Govsatcom has been operational since January 2026 and combines the resources of government satellites for secure communication. However, Brussels did not specify whether interim solutions would be able to replace the capabilities of Starshield — SpaceX's military system used by Ukrainian forces.
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