Polish Foreign Minister questions Elon Musk over Starlink in Ukraine

Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski publicly questioned Elon Musk on Wednesday regarding the restriction of Starlink satellite services in Ukraine. In a post on the social media platform X, Sikorski addressed the SpaceX CEO, asking if he was "playing politics" with his products and stating that European customers were monitoring the situation. The inquiry follows reports that Ukrainian military forces experienced disruptions in internet access, which reportedly led to the failure of several combat drone missions on Tuesday evening.

The Starlink satellite network has served as a critical tool for Ukraine throughout the conflict, facilitating government and military communications as well as guiding long-range drone strikes against Russian logistics in occupied territories. Poland has stated that it contributes to the funding of these subscriptions for Kyiv. According to reports, the recent service limitations coincide with ongoing discussions regarding a potential halt on strikes against Russian energy infrastructure.

The exchange between Sikorski and Musk included a reference to a 2025 dispute involving the Polish foreign minister, Musk, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. During that previous disagreement, Musk had told Sikorski to "be quiet, small man" after suggesting that the Ukrainian front line would collapse if he deactivated Starlink. Musk had subsequently stated that Starlink would not be used as a bargaining chip and would not be turned off for Ukrainian terminals.

As of Wednesday, there has been no official response from Musk regarding the recent criticism from the Polish government. The situation remains a point of contention as Ukraine continues to navigate the impact of service restrictions on its military operations, particularly during periods of increased ballistic missile activity.