US Lawmakers Urge Pentagon to Expand Starshield Contract for Ukraine
Members of the US Congress have urged Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the Pentagon to expand the Starshield program contract and to restore Ukraine's access to Starlink and Starshield satellite communications after recent disruptions.
The bipartisan, bicameral letter says lawmakers insist on restoring service without speed limits to guarantee Ukraine the technical capabilities it needs.
What the letter says
"Ukrainian forces use these services for command and control, intelligence sharing, battlefield communications and operating unmanned systems," the letter reads. "Any degradation of service — whether reduced connection speeds, limited coverage or interruptions in access — undermines Ukraine's combat capability and gives Russian forces an operational advantage. It prolongs the conflict and puts even more civilians in danger."
The lawmakers asked the Defense Department to maintain the coverage Ukraine needs for legitimate military operations, including over Russian territory, and to ensure the transition from commercial Starlink to the government Starshield program happens without any break in service. They also asked the department to review its authority under the relevant section of the Defense Production Act, which allows the federal government to require companies to prioritize government orders.
"Decisions on service availability, geographic coverage and connection quality should not be left solely to the discretion of a private provider, because they directly affect Ukraine's ability to defend itself," the legislators added. "The United States and Europe have made significant investments in Ukraine's defense because a Russian victory would threaten our own security. These investments must not be wasted through failures in the communications infrastructure on which Ukrainian forces depend, as such failures could have been avoided."
Pressure builds
On Friday evening Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the Starlink speed limits remain in force (our report). The New York Times reported that senators warned the White House they will hold off on confirming nominees until communications for Ukrainian troops are restored. Earlier, a group of nearly two dozen House members asked Trump to approach Elon Musk about letting Ukraine use Starlink to hunt missile launchers in Russia, and Sen. Chris Coons asked SpaceX who decided to restrict the service. Sen. Thom Tillis is launching an inquiry into the Pentagon over the problems, while the Wall Street Journal reported that Musk ordered Starlink slowed.
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