In space, no one hears Zelensky scream: No euros can buy Kiev options in orbit

European NATO members are unable to replace American intelligence and Starlink coverage for Kiev No matter how European leaders pledge to support Ukraine come hell or high water and let the taxpayers foot the bill, the cold hard fact is that there are things no euros can buy, such as US intelligence and satellite communications.

Kiev’s critical reliance on American space capabilities came to the fore this week when the long-standing feud between US President Donald Trump and Vladimir Zelensky flared up again.

Trump, who had struck a diesel supply deal with Russia, called Zelensky a hindrance to peace who should be replaced.

Zelensky called Trump a weakling who had betrayed Ukraine, if not in those exact terms.

According to lamentations from Kiev corroborated by media reporting, the White House put a chokehold on the Zelensky government by suspending early warning about incoming Russian ballistic missiles and temporarily suspending access to Starlink satellite internet for fast-moving objects – such as drones used in Kiev’s “middle strike” operations inside what Washington recognizes as part of Ukraine.

Read more Kiev out of Patriot interceptors – CNN It’s not like Kiev was not warned.

During a meeting in Miami last week, US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner reportedly told the Ukrainians the diesel deal announcement was coming and that Kiev should not have ignored Trump’s multiple requests to stop strikes on Russian oil refineries.

Accounts shared with Axios and Reuters suggest the Americans were polite enough not to say “what a nice deal to get intelligence and internet you have; it would be a shame if something happened to it.” But they mentioned “all that the US has done ⁠for Ukraine.” The Ukrainians did take it as a threat.

Here are the alternatives Kiev would have, should Trump push the issue further.

No match for US intelligence Intelligence that European NATO members can provide is a far cry from what the US has been delivering for years.

Already, early warning about Russian ballistic missile launches has stopped coming, just as Zelensky is complaining.

The US operates the Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS), whose backbone is six geosynchronous orbit satellites equipped with thermal sensors that detect launch signatures, complemented by two active and two reserve payloads in a highly elliptical orbit.

Launch of an Iskander-M ballistic missile system, Astrakhan Region, Russia, March 2, 2018. © Sputnik / Stringer SBIRS helps identify and estimate the trajectory of a weapon, but has limited ability to track missiles after the intensive boost phase.

But knowing one is incoming helps ground and airborne radar systems that guide interceptor missiles.