German foreign minister demands US lift Starlink restrictions for Ukraine

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadefuhl publicly called on Washington to cancel the established speed limits on the operation of the Starlink satellite service in Ukraine. The main argument of the head of Germany's foreign policy department is that Berlin participates in financing part of the relevant equipment, which provides grounds to expect uninterrupted and unrestricted operation of the system.

Financial contribution as a basis for demands

The official representative of the German government emphasised that the country bears financial obligations for part of the Starlink infrastructure. That is why the minister demands to ensure the full use of the technology.

«І тому ми, звісно, наполягаємо на тому, щоб воно працювало, якщо ми за це платимо. Україні має надаватися повна підтримка й надалі», – заявив міністр закордонних справ. ("And therefore, of course, we insist that it works if we are paying for it. Ukraine must continue to receive full support," said the foreign minister.)

Transparency issues and further actions

Wadefuhl acknowledged that the German side currently does not have a complete picture of the reasons that led to the introduction of restrictions on satellite communication in Ukraine. At the same time, he assured that Berlin plans to clarify this issue in detail by holding appropriate consultations with American partners to obtain clear explanations.

Previously, calls regarding the situation with satellite system restrictions were also heard in the US. Republican Senator from North Carolina Tom Tillis called for an investigation into the actions of the US Department of Defence and its head Pete Hegseth. The politician noted that Ukrainian military personnel encountered restrictions on the Starshield system, and together with colleagues intends to seek an official investigation by the Pentagon's Inspector General, as he does not expect transparency from the defence minister.