**Poland May Stop Using SpaceX for Internet Services**
Poland’s Foreign Minister, Radoslaw Sikorski, said on March 9 that the country will look for alternative suppliers if SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, turns out to be an unreliable provider of Starlink satellite internet.
Starlink has been crucial in keeping Ukraine connected during the war. Poland helps maintain Ukraine’s access to Starlink and has provided half of the country’s total of 42,000 terminals.
Earlier on March 9, Musk claimed that shutting off Starlink services would cause the entire front line in Ukraine to collapse. Sikorski pointed out that paying for Starlink services costs around $50 million per year, which is funded by Poland’s Digitization Ministry.
“If SpaceX proves to be an unreliable provider, we will have to look for other suppliers,” Sikorski said on social media platform X.
Polish officials are concerned about Musk’s threats and how it could affect international relations. Deputy Prime Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski warned that cutting off Ukraine’s Starlink access would lead to an international crisis between Poland and the US.
The US has previously threatened to cut off Ukraine’s access to Starlink if Kyiv doesn’t agree to a critical minerals deal. However, Musk denied these reports in late February.
The planned signing of this agreement was disrupted after a clash between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The US then halted military aid and intelligence sharing for Ukraine in an attempt to push Kyiv into peace talks with Moscow.
Ukrainian officials have been working on alternative internet services, including possible deals with French satellite operator Eutelsat Communications.
Musk’s statements about Starlink have caused concern among Ukrainian officials. He has called for shutting down the US Agency for International Development (USAID), which provides vital humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
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