The European Commission formally advanced its support for Ukraine’s strategic security by proposing negotiations for the country's full inclusion in the Governmental Satellite Communications (GOVSATCOM) program. This proposal, initiated on October 28, 2025, aims to establish an unshakeable lifeline of secure and dependable connectivity for Ukraine, thereby bolstering the collective resilience of the European security sphere.
GOVSATCOM serves as a crucial coordination mechanism, aggregating access to sophisticated satellite assets from both EU Member States and private sector entities. Its primary function is to deliver essential governmental communication services, especially for critical operations where reliance on terrestrial networks is not feasible. This integration is viewed as a pivotal moment in European solidarity, particularly given recent geopolitical realignments. The impetus for this accelerated move is directly linked to the suspension of military aid and intelligence sharing by the United States, which has necessitated a proactive internal European response to secure Ukraine’s operational continuity.
Key figures within the Commission emphasized the strategic importance of this move. Henna Virkkunen, the Executive Vice-President for Technological Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, underscored that secure connectivity is an absolute prerequisite for Europe's enduring stability. Andrius Kubilius, the European Commissioner for Defence and Space, characterized the action as a definitive stride toward a more cohesive and robust European entity. This initiative builds upon prior agreements, as Ukraine formalized its entry into other key EU space programs, including Copernicus, Space Weather Events monitoring, and Near-Earth Objects tracking, in April 2025.
The long-term commitment to shared technological advancement is also evident, with ongoing discussions regarding Ukraine’s potential involvement in IRIS2, the next-generation secure communications satellite constellation expected to be operational around 2030. The EU’s proactive structuring of shared assets through GOVSATCOM reflects a deep understanding that true security is cultivated through interdependence and the conscious cultivation of reliable, sovereign resources, positioning the EU as an indispensable partner in securing Ukraine’s future.