Warsaw (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called on “friends” to respect their partners and not be arrogant, in a post on X that didn’t mention anyone by name.
The development came a day after an extraordinary social media exchange between top U.S. and Polish officials over Starlink.
Poland has paid Ukraine to use the services of Starlink, which provides vital internet connectivity to Kyiv and its military.
“True leadership means respect for partners and allies. Even for the smaller and weaker ones,”
Prime Minister Donald Tusk noted in English on X.
“Never arrogance. Dear friends, think about it.”
True leadership means respect for partners and allies. Even for the smaller and weaker ones. Never arrogance. Dear friends, think about it.
— Donald Tusk (@donaldtusk) March 10, 2025
What sparked the US-Poland dispute over Starlink?
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio blamed Poland’s foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski of “making things up” and implied he was ungrateful, in a strong denunciation after Sikorski expressed Ukraine may need an alternative to Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite service if it becomes less reliable.
Rubio had also stated that
“no one has made any threats about cutting Ukraine off from Starlink”.
“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,”
Rubio also said.
Just making things up.
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) March 9, 2025
No one has made any threats about cutting Ukraine off from Starlink
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 https://t.co/ImeiHFgaaw
Sikorski responded:
“Thank you, Marco, for confirming that the brave soldiers of Ukraine can count on the vital internet service provided jointly by the U.S. and Poland”.
Sikorski had been told to “be quiet” and labelled a “small man” by Musk after he indicated Poland, which states it pays $50 million per year for Ukraine’s Starlink services, might need to find another supplier, is Musk’s service unreliable.
Starlinks for Ukraine are paid for by the Polish Digitization Ministry at the cost of about $50 million per year.
— Radosław Sikorski 🇵🇱🇪🇺 (@sikorskiradek) March 9, 2025
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
Is Starlink’s reliability in Ukraine now in question?
The U.S. government has already restricted access to satellite imagery for Ukraine and halted intelligence sharing, piling stress on Kyiv. Shares in Franco-British satellite operator Eutelsat skyrocketed as much as 650% last week due to the assumption the company could replace Starlink in supplying internet access to Ukraine.
Elon Musk, a high-profile figure in the government of U.S. President Donald Trump, stated that Ukraine’s
“entire front line would collapse if I turned it (Starlink) off”.
Musk said later he would not shut down Starlink in Ukraine.
“To be extremely clear, no matter how much I disagree with the Ukraine policy, Starlink will never turn off its terminals … We would never do such a thing or use it as a bargaining chip.”
Sarhan Basem is Brussels Morning's Senior Correspondent to the European Parliament. With a Bachelor's degree in English Literature, Sarhan brings a unique blend of linguistic finesse and analytical prowess to his reporting. Specializing in foreign affairs, human rights, civil liberties, and security issues, he delves deep into the intricacies of global politics to provide insightful commentary and in-depth coverage. Beyond the world of journalism, Sarhan is an avid traveler, exploring new cultures and cuisines, and enjoys unwinding with a good book or indulging in outdoor adventures whenever possible.
