Like a player suddenly realizing that the house still wins, Europe wakes up to the brutal reality of its dependence on American power. For decades, the continent relied on American security guarantees, without ever questioning the chains that could be attached.
As European leaders finds himself rushing – both to protect Ukraine and to protect himself from the changing whims of Washington – a great concern is an imminent threat of the American technological lever effect.
Beyond the erosion of the safety umbrella, the United States also proves that its technological monopoly is another threat to European security.
Previously reportedCiting three unanimous sources, which American negotiators have pressure on kyiv to sign a critical mineral agreement, even suggesting restrictions on Starlink, the satellite system belonging to SpaceX, after President Zelensky rejected an initial proposal from the United States.
The report triggered the controversy, causing Poland To clarify that he finances access to Starlink from Ukraine and will continue to do so. Since the invasion of Russia, Poland has provided 20,000 star link units and has covered its maintenance costs, despite the information that the United States has floated the possibility of reducing access while putting pressure for a mineral agreement.
Musk responded to the report on social networks, comment“It’s false.” Although his denial can be correct with regard to the fact that this is going, it is also true that Musk has not tried to relieve concerns by going beyond its laconic response to guarantee that the United States would not try the armament of American technology in Europe.
This possibility remains, especially since the Trump administration aligns more closely with Vladimir Putin And Putin position On the current invasion of Ukraine in the course of Russia.
On March 5, Polish Deputy Prime Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski warned that the cancellation of Starlink access for Ukraine would trigger an international crisis with the United States. Gawkowski stressed that a decision to reduce starry liaison contracts from Poland declaring“I cannot imagine a situation where a trade agreement between Poland and an American company is suddenly interrupted.”
The role of Musk in the control of access to Starlink had triggered controversy earlier. He had admitted To refuse to activate Starlink on Crimea, saying that he wanted to avoid complicity in what he called a “war major” while Ukrainian sea drones were trying to hit Russian naval assets.
The Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov confirmed that the country exploration Alternatives to Starlink for front line communications, although the details are not disclosed.
Starlink acted as the backbone of Ukraine front -line communications. At the start of the war, Russia launched cyber attacks on ViaSat To paralyze the Ukrainian military networks, showing the importance of satellite communications for command and control.
However, to reduce dependence, Ukraine has already been integration Alternative satellite systems like Kymeta for its marine drones.
Andrii Kovalenko of Ukraine National Security and Defense Council declared That the front line is now filled with fiber optic cables, high -speed modems and satellite services for Swedish and German suppliers, for use in the event, Starlink is offline.
Serhiy, a drone chief of the 23rd mechanized brigade, told me that a stop would no longer have the same impact as before, due to the improvement of internet re-transmitters.
Musk’s refusal to activate Starlink for Drone Dona operations in Ukraine should have been an early warning for Europe. The continent cannot afford to depend on an individual controlled by an individual who has shown a desire to reduce the service based on personal whims or political pressure.
Adding fuel to the dumpster fire, Musk went to social networks to lawyer So that the United States withdraws from NATO.
The gun is not only pointed out on Ukraine. If Russia was to invade Europe – in particular the Balts – nothing guarantees that Musk would not limit Starlink access to help Moscow. Having previously a limited access to the occupied Crimea, he could do it again, justifying it as a decision to prevent nuclear climbing. Trump, after all, has already threatened 25% prices on EU imports, advertisement The block was designed to “screw” the United States.
Italy is now reconsideration An agreement of 1.5 billion euros with Starlink for military and government use, citing the change in American commitments to Europe security, including Ukraine.
Meanwhile, the Franco-British satellite operator Eutelsat emerges as a potential alternative for Europe and Ukraine. Eutelsat actions Soak rumors. However, this can take years before Eutelsat Can equal the connectivity of Starlink for military and civil ends.
Replacement Starlink presents important logistics and financial challenge. Oneweb, who merged with Eutelsat in 2022, invoked around $ 10,000 per terminal, against $ 600 per unit of Starlink, making the generalized adoption an expensive company.
Ukraine currently depends on around 40,000 Starlink terminals, while Eutelsat has only a few thousand in stock and had to evolve at the rapid scale production To meet demand. Composing the problem, Eutelsat does not manufacture its own terminals, by relying on industry partners to produce consumption and military quality devices.
In the meantime, Asset I tried to tell Americans to worry less of Putin and more on migrants so that the country does not end like Europe. Once Trump cut intelligence and military aid to UkraineIt has become clear that his administration would be willing to arm everything that would take to achieve his goals.
It is not America that Europe once knew it – and this applies to Trump’s European populist and nationalist counterparts. Dutch populist Geert Wilders, claiming his support for Ukraine, described Trump’s oval office to compete with Zelenskyy “fascinating TV, but not the best way to end war”.
The far right leader Marine Le Pen condemned aid in the United States as “brutal” and “cruel”, while Nigel Farage British criticized the vice-president JD Vance for having rejected the British peacekeepers in Ukraine, calling him “evil, evil”.
Europe now wakes up to reality that American support can no longer be taken for granted. Trump’s contempt for traditional alliances has forced Europe to act with an unprecedented emergency.
Ironically, his actions have done more to galvanize European defense efforts than three years of invasion of Russia on the scale of Ukraine. NOW Europe works to generate 800 billion euros in additional defense spending in the coming years.
A large part of what is spent, of course, will go to military technology. The European Union in 2024 approved An investment of 10.6 billion euros for Iris² in 2024, a European satellite -wide European initiative designed to reduce dependence on American providers. However, the cost and time remain significant challenges in Europe’s efforts to catch up and establish a more self -sufficient infrastructure.
The only viable route is for Europe to strengthen its own defenses while guaranteeing a strong Ukraine to dissuade future Russian threats. While the world order fractures, Europe must act faster than ever to guarantee its future.
David Kirichenko is a Ukrainian-American journalist-activist and associate researcher at the Henry Jackson Society, a thinking group based in London. It can be found on the social media platform X @DVKirichenko.