Europe can back up some of Ukraine’s satellite links, but cannot replace Starlink yet

Ukraine says its Starlink and Starshield links have returned to their previous speeds after restrictions disrupted frontline operations for more than a week. The episode has sharpened a practical question: if those SpaceX connections falter again, could European networks take over? They can provide some connectivity, but there is no ready-made replacement for every battlefield use.

Starlink carries battlefield communications, while the military-grade Starshield service supports drone operations. Commanders reported lost drones and disrupted missions during the restrictions, according to the Associated Press. Speed and portable equipment matter alongside satellite coverage: a connection that works for a vehicle or command post may not suit a small drone.

Europe’s most immediate commercial option is Eutelsat’s OneWeb network. Eutelsat told Reuters this month that it was already providing connectivity in Ukraine with partners. But switching from SpaceX would require different terminals. Satellite consultant Christian Freiherr von der Ropp told Reuters that the size, weight, power demands and cost of OneWeb equipment limit its suitability for frontline applications. Existing service in Ukraine is therefore not the same as a direct swap for Starshield.

The EU’s GOVSATCOM programme offers another route. It pools satellite capacity for authorised government users and, according to the European Commission, has operated initial services since January. Ukraine does not yet have full access: the Commission says its participation requires a formal international agreement. No start date for Ukrainian access has been set.

The BBC reports that GOVSATCOM’s current capacity cannot do the drone-control work for which Ukraine uses Starshield. That does not mean the programme rules out military users altogether: the Commission lists armed forces among its potential users. Whether its services could meet particular Ukrainian military needs is a separate technical question. The EU plans to add commercial providers to GOVSATCOM in 2027, but that expansion is not available now.

The longer-term project is IRIS², a planned EU constellation of 348 satellites. The Commission’s August deployment announcement schedules the first launches for 2029, with initial secure services to follow. Although a Commission spokesperson has spoken of full operation in 2029, that deployment schedule does not establish when the complete network would be usable by Ukraine; access would also require an agreement.

Finnish company ICEYE and Nokia have signed a letter of intent with Ukraine’s defence ministry to explore a satellite communications system that Ukraine could control. The companies expect the first launches for their broader project in 2028, but have announced neither a Ukrainian launch date nor an operational network. For now, European options offer ways to reduce dependence on a single provider, not a complete or immediate replacement for it.