Poland to spend over $20 mln on Starlink for Ukraine in 2025
The cost of Ukraine's subscription to the Starlink satellite internet, paid for from the Polish budget, will exceed $20 million in 2025, Polish media reported with reference to the Polish Ministry of Digital Technologies.
"In 2022-2024, almost PLN 323 million (approximately $84 million in equivalent) was spent on Starlinks for Ukraine, both for terminals and for their subscription, which must be paid monthly," the agency reported.
According to the presented forecast, in the period from January to September 2025, the ministry will spend more than PLN 77.8 million (over $20 million) on Starlink subscription fees for Ukraine, they added.
It is recalled that "in accordance with the law, support for providing communication through Starlink terminals is provided until September 30, 2025. This period has already been changed by law in connection with the prolonged military operations in Ukraine and follows from the relevant implementing decisions of the EU Council."
"All expenses were incurred at the expense of the Assistance Fund established on the basis of the law on assistance to citizens of Ukraine in connection with the armed conflict in the territory of this country," the Ministry of Digital Technologies reported, emphasizing that "the Starlink subscription is paid from the state budget."
The ministry also noted that Poland pays only for "actually activated" services, which are regularly reported by the Ukrainian side. It stressed that "IL-PIB (a research institute in Warsaw) has repeatedly checked the advertisements on websites, and it has never been established that the subject of sale was Starlinks provided by Poland."
The ministry reported that out of 5,000 Starlinks purchased by Poland by the end of 2024, Ukraine has received 1,584. "The rest are waiting in a warehouse managed by the Institute of Communications. The Ukrainian side is responsible for their reception and transportation," the report said.
"The Ministry of Digital Technologies has not yet received information about a possible suspension of services within the terminals of the Starlink satellite communication system purchased by Poland. We also have no information about possible negotiations to replace the Starlink system with another solution," the department emphasized.