Tech billionaire Elon Musk and United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio have traded barbs with Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski over the use of Musk’s Starlink internet service in Ukraine.
During the tense exchange on X on Sunday, Sikorski suggested that Poland, which pays Ukraine’s Starlink costs to help it repel Russia’s invasion, might have to seek alternative suppliers if Musk’s satellite network proves to be an “unreliable provider”.
Sikorski made the comments after Musk, one of US President Donald Trump’s most influential allies, said the Ukrainian army’s “entire front line would collapse” without Starlink.
“I challenged Putin to one on one physical combat over Ukraine and my Starlink system is the backbone of the Ukrainian army. Their entire front line would collapse if I turned it off,” Musk said in response to an X user who accused him of not treating Russia as the aggressor and only criticising Ukraine.
“What I am sickened by is years of slaughter in a stalemate that Ukraine will inevitably lose.”
Rubio came to Musk’s defence following Sikorski’s post, accusing the Polish politician of “making things up”.
“No one has made any threats about cutting Ukraine off from Starlink,” Rubio said.
“And say thank you because without Starlink Ukraine would have lost this war long ago and Russians would be on the border with Poland right now.”
Musk later lashed out at Sikorski himself, posting: “Be quiet, small man. You pay a tiny fraction of the cost. And there is no substitute for Starlink.”
On Sunday, Musk, who leads Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, insisted he would not cut off Ukraine’s access to Starlink despite his blow-up with Poland’s top diplomat.
“To be extremely clear, no matter how much I disagree with the Ukraine policy, Starlink will never turn off its terminals,” Musk said.
“I am simply stating that, without Starlink, the Ukrainian lines would collapse, as the Russians can jam all other communications! We would never do such a thing or use it as a bargaining chip.”
Poland funded about half of the estimated 42,000 Starlink terminals operating in Ukraine.
The terminals have provided vital internet connectivity for Ukraine’s military and essential services following Russia’s destruction of the country’s communications networks during its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Trump last week ordered a pause on all military aid to Ukraine, and on Wednesday, CIA Director John Ratcliffe said the US had also halted intelligence sharing with Ukraine.
