Rep. Panetta Joins Bipartisan, Bicameral Group of Lawmakers Urging Pentagon to Restore and Expand Starshield Access for Ukraine

October 23, 2026 Press Release Monterey, CA – United States Representatives Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), Mike Quigley (IL-05), and Jim Costa (CA-21), alongside Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), urged Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and the Department of Defense (DoD) to expand its Starshield contract and restore Ukraine’s access to Starlink and Starshield satellite communications following recent disruptions. They specifically called for renewing unlimited-speed service to ensure Ukraine has the capacity it needs. The lawmakers also pressed the DoD to evaluate its authorities under the Defense Production Act to guarantee continued, reliable access. “Ukrainian forces depend on these services for command and control, intelligence sharing, battlefield communications, and the operation of unmanned systems,” wrote the lawmakers. “Any degradation in service, including reduced connection speeds, restricted geographic coverage, or interruptions in access, undermines Ukraine’s military effectiveness and provides Russian forces with an operational advantage that will extend the conflict and put more civilians in harm’s way.” The lawmakers called on DoD to maintain the geographic coverage Ukraine needs for its lawful military operations, including over Russian territory, and to ensure any transition from commercial Starlink to government-contracted Starshield happens without interruption. “Decisions regarding service availability, coverage, and performance should not be left solely to the discretion of a private provider when they have direct consequences for Ukraine’s ability to defend itself,” continued the lawmakers. In addition, the lawmakers urged DoD to evaluate its authorities under Title I of the Defense Production Act , which allows the federal government to require companies to give priority to government orders. “These authorities should be considered alongside existing contractual mechanisms to ensure that Ukraine maintains reliable access to the bandwidth, service levels, and geographic coverage required for its lawful military operations,” added the lawmakers. “The United States and Europe have made significant investments in Ukraine’s defense because of how a Russian victory would put our security at risk. Those investments should not be undermined by preventable disruptions to the communications infrastructure on which Ukrainian forces depend,” concluded the lawmakers. Full text of the letter is available here and below: Dear Secretary Hegseth, We write to express our serious concern about recent disruptions to Ukraine’s access to Starlink and Starshield satellite communications services and to urge the Department of Defense to take immediate steps to restore and sustain Ukraine’s access to these critical capabilities. Reliable satellite communications are essential to Ukraine’s ability to defend itself against Russia’s ongoing aggression. Ukrainian forces depend on these services for command and control, intelligence sharing, battlefield communications, and the operation of unmanned systems. Any degradation in service, including reduced connection speeds, restricted geographic coverage, or interruptions in access, undermines Ukraine’s military effectiveness and provides Russian forces with an operational advantage that will extend the conflict and put more civilians in harm’s way. We urge the Department to expand its existing Starshield contract to ensure Ukraine has the satellite communications capacity, coverage, and reliability necessary to sustain its military operations and renew Starshield’s unlimited-speed service. In the interim, the Department should take all necessary steps to ensure that Ukrainian forces maintain access to satellite communications at speeds and service levels at least equivalent to those previously available, through whatever combination of Starlink and Starshield services is necessary. Critically, this should include maintaining the geographic coverage required for Ukrainian military operations, including connectivity over Russian territory where necessary to support Ukraine’s lawful military operations , consistent with applicable U.S. law and policy. Decisions regarding service availability, coverage, and performance should not be left solely to the discretion of a private provider when they have direct consequences for Ukraine’s ability to defend itself. The Department should also ensure that any transition between commercial Starlink services and government-contracted Starshield capabilities occurs without interruptions or reductions in service. This requires sufficient contracted capacity, clear service-level requirements, and appropriate oversight to ensure that Ukraine’s operational needs are met. We also urge the Department to evaluate the use of authorities under Title I of the Defense Production Act (50 U.S.C. § 4511), in coordination with the Department of Commerce as appropriate, to prioritize the provision and expansion of satellite communications services necessary to support Ukraine’s defense. These authorities should be considered alongside existing contractual mechanisms to ensure that Ukraine maintains reliable access to the bandwidth, service levels, and geographic coverage required for its lawful military operations. The United States and Europe have made significant investments in Ukraine’s defense because of how a Russian victory would put our security at risk. Those investments should not be undermined by preventable disruptions to the communications infrastructure on which Ukrainian forces depend. Ensuring reliable access to satellite communications is essential to sustaining Ukraine’s defense and protecting U.S. national security interests. We urge the Department to act expeditiously to expand its Starshield arrangements and ensure uninterrupted satellite communications support for Ukraine. Sincerely, ### Issues : National Security