Poland’s presidential veto has raised concerns over Ukraine’s Starlink connectivity, escalating tensions in ongoing refugee aid negotiations.
Poland’s presidential veto has raised concerns over Ukraine’s Starlink connectivity, escalating tensions in ongoing refugee aid negotiations.
Ukraine’s access to Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet service may be cut following Polish President Karol Nawrocki’s veto of a refugee aid bill, Deputy Prime Minister and Digital Affairs Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski said on Monday, as tensions between Poland’s government and head of state deepen.
Poland funds Ukraine’s Starlink service, which provides critical internet connectivity for both civilians and military operations as the country continues to resist the Russian invasion.
On Monday, President Nawrocki vetoed legislation extending state financial support for Ukrainian refugees and announced plans to limit their future access to child benefits and healthcare. Gawkowski said the vetoed bill also provided the legal framework for funding Starlink.
“This is the end of Starlink internet, which Poland provides to Ukraine as it wages war,” he wrote on X. A spokesperson for the Digital Affairs Ministry confirmed that from October 1, there would be no legal basis to continue payments for Starlink.
Nawrocki’s office told Reuters that Starlink funding could be reinstated if parliament passes a bill proposed by the president by the end of next month. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s digital affairs ministry is reportedly in communication with Poland regarding continued payments.
Poland has been a strong supporter of Ukraine since Russia invaded in 2022. Although Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s centrist government and Nawrocki, a conservative nationalist, both agree on aiding Ukraine, some Poles have expressed fatigue over hosting an estimated 1.5 million Ukrainians in the country.
During his campaign, Nawrocki, inspired by US President Donald Trump, pledged to prioritise Polish citizens and limit rights for foreigners. “I believe that (family) benefit should only be granted to those Ukrainians who make the effort to work in Poland, the same with healthcare,” he told journalists.
A Ukrainian diplomatic source said Kyiv is assessing the potential impact on Ukrainians in Poland, emphasising that “their rights will be protected no less than in other EU countries.” Currently, Ukrainian refugees in Poland can receive a monthly family benefit of 800 zlotys ($219) per child if their children attend Polish schools, while other EU nations, including Germany, have also considered reducing benefits.
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