On 23 October, a bipartisan, bicameral group of US lawmakers wrote to Defence Secretary Pete Hagseth and the Pentagon, calling for the current Starshield contract with Ukraine to be extended, for services to be restored without speed restrictions, and for uninterrupted communications to be guaranteed.<\/p>\n
Briefly about the main points<\/strong><\/p>\n The letter was signed by at least five members of the House of Representatives and three senators, including Jimmy Panetta, Brian Fitzpatrick, Marcy Kaptur, Mark Kelly, Tom Tillis and Elissa Slotkin. The lawmakers called for the existing contract to be extended Starshield<\/a> for Ukraine.<\/p>\n The authors of the letter are asking for services to be resumed without any speed restrictions. Until services are fully restored, they propose ensuring that Ukraine receives a level of service no lower than before \u2014 via Starlink, Starshield or a combination of these services.<\/p>\n According to the signatories, Ukrainian forces use satellite communications for command and control, the exchange of intelligence, battlefield communications and the operation of unmanned systems. They believe that reduced speeds, diminished coverage or interruptions in access undermine Ukraine\u2019s military effectiveness and may give Russian forces an operational advantage.<\/p>\n The letter also emphasises the need to avoid any disruption during the transition from the commercial Starlink service to the government-run Starshield programme \u2014 a military service linked to the Starlink infrastructure. According to lawmakers, decisions regarding availability, geographical coverage and connection quality should not depend solely on a private provider.<\/p>\n Lawmakers are calling for the retention of the coverage necessary for Ukraine\u2019s lawful military operations, in particular for communications over Russian territory \u2014 provided this is consistent with US law and policy. In addition, they are asking the Pentagon to assess the possibility of invoking the Defence Production Act to ensure reliable and uninterrupted access to these services.<\/p>\n\n
What actions are being demanded of the Pentagon?<\/h2>\n
Why was the issue of communications described as critical?<\/h2>\n
Coverage over Russia and current restrictions<\/h2>\n