Poland is back on the map. SpaceX has agreed to reinstate the country in Starlink’s roaming zone, days after quietly leaving it out. The reversal follows a direct threat from Warsaw to cut $50m in annual payments for Ukraine’s satellite internet.
Poland’s digital affairs minister, Krzysztof Gawkowski, announced the reversal on X on 13 August. He said SpaceX had agreed to treat Polish customers on equal terms with the rest of Europe. As a result, no new restrictions would apply once the change took effect, he added.
The dispute erupted when Starlink grouped more than 30 European countries into a shared roaming zone. Customers could use their terminals across borders without extra charges. However, Starlink left Poland out without explanation. The change was set to hit new customers from 14 July and existing ones from 17 August. Poland’s foreign minister, Radosław Sikorski, and Deputy Defence Minister Cezary Tomczyk both pressed Mr Musk publicly over the exclusion.
A quick about-face
Poland has funded 24,560 Starlink terminals for Ukraine since Russia’s 2022 invasion. It has spent roughly €77m ($88m) on them, giving Warsaw unusual leverage over Mr Musk’s company.
SpaceX has responded to my request and will not treat Polish customers worse than those in other European countries.
— Krzysztof Gawkowski, Polish minister for digital affairs
“SpaceX has responded to my request and will not treat Polish customers worse than those in other European countries,” Mr Gawkowski wrote. He added that he now expected SpaceX to put the declaration into practice swiftly. Mr Sikorski, who led the public pressure campaign, thanked Mr Musk directly once SpaceX confirmed the reversal. “Thank you, Elon Musk, for recognising that Poland is in the European Union and its citizens cannot be subjected to discrimination,” he wrote on X.
