The US State Department approved a new arms sales package to Ukraine valued at approximately $329 million, including a €150 million about $165 million allocation specifically for Starlink satellite communications services and related equipment.
Germany is to contribute at least €150 million ~$175 million to purchasing US military equipment for Ukraine, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said on Friday as he hosted European counterparts for talks in Berlin.
This will enhance Ukraine’s battlefield connectivity, command-and-control systems, and drone operations amid ongoing Russian assaults. The approval comes under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program and is expected to be expedited for delivery.
$179.1 million for spare parts, training, and maintenance to sustain Ukraine’s existing Patriot air defense systems. Starlink Services: €150 million for satellite terminals, user equipment, and ongoing service subscriptions, critical for real-time intelligence sharing and artillery coordination.
This deal builds on a broader US strategy under President Trump to shift some aid burdens to European allies while maintaining direct support. For instance, in July 2025, another $322 million package was cleared, with $150 million for Bradley Fighting Vehicle sustainment and $172 million for Hawk surface-to-air missile upgrades.
Earlier in August, NATO members like the Netherlands committed €500 million $540 million for US-made munitions and howitzers to be transferred to Kyiv. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, the US has provided over $31 billion in direct military drawdowns from its stockpiles, plus billions more through FMS sales.
With US policy emphasizing a negotiated end to the conflict, these purchases—often funded or facilitated by European partners—aim to bolster Ukraine’s defenses without solely relying on American taxpayer funds.
President Zelenskyy has signaled readiness for even larger deals, potentially up to $90 billion in US weaponry, including drones and fighter jets, with technical talks ongoing. Critics in Ukraine have raised concerns about procurement transparency, with recent audits uncovering alleged corruption in domestic arms deals worth millions.
However, these US-facilitated sales are seen as a more accountable channel, helping Kyiv achieve near 60% self-sufficiency in armaments through boosted production. Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite internet constellation, has been a cornerstone of Ukraine’s communication infrastructure since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Deployed just days after the invasion began, it filled critical gaps left by destroyed terrestrial networks, enabling real-time battlefield coordination, drone operations, and civilian connectivity. By April 2025, Ukraine operated over 50,000 terminals, making it one of the largest users globally.
Its low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites provide high-speed, low-latency internet resilient to jamming and physical damage, revolutionizing modern warfare tactics for Ukraine.
On February 26, 2022, Ukraine’s Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov publicly requested Starlink support via Twitter. SpaceX responded within 48 hours, shipping thousands of terminals. Initial funding came from SpaceX itself, with Elon Musk personally overseeing logistics.
Starlink enabled Ukrainian defenders in Mariupol to maintain command-and-control amid encirclement, streaming video feeds and coordinating evacuations. It also supported drone strikes by allowing operators to attach terminals to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for beyond-line-of-sight control.
By mid-2023, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) assumed funding via a contract with SpaceX, covering expenses that had strained the company. As of December 2023, Poland had donated 19,500 terminals—the largest single contributor—bringing the total to around 47,000.
Starlink has transformed Ukraine’s operational capabilities, often described as a “force multiplier” in asymmetric warfare:Battlefield Connectivity: Ukrainian troops use it for encrypted apps showing real-time enemy positions from drones, artillery fire coordination, and secure video calls with headquarters.
Drone and UAV Integration: Essential for controlling long-range strike drones, including adaptations where terminals are strapped directly to aircraft. This has enabled precision strikes deep into Russian-held territory.
Civilian and Infrastructure Support: Powers hospitals, emergency services, and remote villages, restoring digital access after blackouts. In 2025, it sustained connectivity during intensified Russian assaults on energy grids.
Russia has targeted Starlink signals since 2022 with electronic warfare, but frequent software updates and satellite maneuvers have maintained 90-95% uptime. However, outages remain a vulnerability.
Since 2023, the DoD funds Starlink via the Proliferated Low Earth Orbit (PLEO) program. A $537 million contract (2024-2027) supports military services, including a December 2024 upgrade to Starshield—a militarized, encrypted version—for 3,000 terminals. In August 2025, the State Department approved a $150 million extension for terminals and services under the Foreign Military Sales program.
Poland’s $47 million commitment in 2025 covers half of Ukraine’s terminals. On November 15, 2025, Estonia pledged €3.5 million for acquisition and maintenance, emphasizing drone ops. Other donors include the UK and Germany.
Over $1 billion in combined funding by 2025, with SpaceX projecting $3 billion in U.S. government revenue from military contracts, including Ukraine. In September 2022, Musk ordered a temporary shutdown of coverage near Crimea during Ukraine’s counteroffensive, citing escalation risks and U.S. sanctions—disrupting drone ops and eroding trust. He later reversed it amid backlash.
Under the Trump administration in 2025, fears mounted of service cuts as leverage in peace talks. Ukrainian officials worried about frontline collapse without it, prompting diversification. Reports in February 2025 confirmed Russian forces using smuggled terminals for their own ops, like in Vuhledar.
SpaceX has restricted offensive military use since 2023, focusing on defensive and humanitarian roles, though enforcement is inconsistent. In December 2024, Kyivstar partnered with Starlink for satellite-direct-to-phone services, launching SMS in Q4 2025 and expanding to voice/data in 2026.
This aims to bypass damaged cell towers, making Ukraine the first conflict zone with the tech. Ukraine signed a deal in April 2025 with Sweden’s Requtech for local production of OneWeb/Intelsat terminals, reducing Starlink reliance. Europe explores alternatives like Eutelsat, but replacing 40,000+ terminals could take months.
Starlink sustains Ukraine’s edge, but geopolitical pressures and jamming threats underscore the need for backups. Kyiv’s new Space Policy Directorate is building a domestic satellite constellation, signaling a shift from dependency to self-reliance.
