Ukraine Risks Losing Starlink Internet Access Amid Refugee Aid Dispute with Poland
The lack of satellite internet could have dire consequences for Ukraine’s military.
WASHINGTON, August 27, 2025 – As Poland’s neighborly aid to Ukraine continues to dwindle, Ukraine now risks losing access to crucial internet connectivity.
When Russia first invaded Ukraine, bordering Poland was quick to offer support, providing weapons and an estimated $5.2 billion in military aid since 2022. However, growing public opposition and the election of right-wing nationalist President Karol Nawrocki have led to a decrease in Polish support.
On Monday, President Nawrocki vetoed a refugee aid bill to extend state financial support for Ukrainian refugees and announced plans to limit their future access to child benefits and healthcare, according to Reuters.
However, Nawrocki’s move could eliminate something more – internet access – as his veto also eliminated the legal basis for supporting Poland’s funding of Ukraine’s Starlink satellite service.
Poland currently pays about $50 million a year for Starlink in Ukraine, which is vital to their military and civilian communications as their war with Russia wages on. According to the BBC, Ukraine’s army uses Starlink for reconnaissance drones, which stream troops real-time battlefield data that allows for quick reactions to attacks, compensating for Ukraine's disadvantages in manpower.
Included in the legislation that President Nawrocki vetoed was the authorization for Poland to finance Starlink for Ukraine. This is set to take effect on October 1, 2025, but a spokesperson for Nawrocki told Reuters the basis for paying for Starlink could still be restored if parliament adopts a bill proposed by the president by the end of next month.
Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Digital Affairs Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski warned about the impacts of this decision. “This is the end of Starlink internet, which Poland provides to Ukraine as it wages war,” he said on his X feed. “This is also the end of support for storing Ukrainian administration data in a safe place.”
“I can’t imagine a better gift for Putin’s troops than cutting off Ukraine from the internet, which the President has just decided,” Gawkowski added.
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