Tesla and SpaceX CEO insists he will not cut Ukraine’s access to internet service despite his disagreements with Kyiv.
Tech billionaire Elon Musk and United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio have traded barbs with Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski over the use of Musk’s Starlink internet service in Ukraine.
During the tense exchange on X on Sunday, Sikorski suggested that Poland, which pays Ukraine’s Starlink costs to help it repel Russia’s invasion, might have to seek alternative suppliers if Musk’s satellite network proves to be an “unreliable provider”.
Sikorski made the comments after Musk, one of US President Donald Trump’s most influential allies, said the Ukrainian army’s “entire front line would collapse” without Starlink.
“I literally challenged Putin to one on one physical combat over Ukraine and my Starlink system is the backbone of the Ukrainian army. Their entire front line would collapse if I turned it off,” Musk said in response to an X user who accused him of not treating Russia as the aggressor and only criticising Ukraine.
“What I am sickened by is years of slaughter in a stalemate that Ukraine will inevitably lose.”
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. https://t.co/WaJWCklgPE— Radosław Sikorski
(@sikorskiradek) March 9, 2025
Rubio came to Musk’s defence following Sikorski’s post, accusing the Polish politician of “making things up”.
“No one has made any threats about cutting Ukraine off from Starlink,” Rubio said.
“And say thank you because without Starlink Ukraine would have lost this war long ago and Russians would be on the border with Poland right now.”
Musk later lashed out at Sikorski himself, posting: “Be quiet, small man. You pay a tiny fraction of the cost. And there is no substitute for Starlink.”
Last month, the Reuters news agency, citing three unnamed sources, reported that US negotiators had raised the possibility of cutting Ukraine’s access to the Starlink service while pushing Kyiv for access to the country’s critical minerals.
On Sunday, Musk, who leads Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, insisted he would not cut off Ukraine’s access to Starlink despite his blow-up with Poland’s top diplomat.
“To be extremely clear, no matter how much I disagree with the Ukraine policy, Starlink will never turn off its terminals,” Musk said.
“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.”
Poland funded about half of the estimated 42,000 Starlink terminals operating in Ukraine.
The terminals have provided vital internet connectivity for Ukraine’s military and essential services following Russia’s destruction of the country’s communications networks during its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Trump last week ordered a pause on all military aid to Ukraine, and on Wednesday, CIA Director John Ratcliffe said that the US had also halted intelligence sharing with Ukraine. US officials suggested the pause on both the military aid and intelligence sharing would be lifted if there was a diplomatic breakthrough between Trump and Zelenskyy on bringing a swift end to the war.
Trump said on Sunday that the US had “just about” ended the suspension, and that he expects good results out of upcoming talks with Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia.
Asked if he would consider ending the suspension, Trump said, “We just about have. We just about have.”
US officials will meet on Tuesday with the Ukrainian delegation in Jeddah in part to determine whether Ukraine is willing to make material concessions to Russia to end the war. Also hanging over the talks is the fate of a minerals deal between Washington and Kyiv.