Starlink terminals were not overseen by USAID in regards to their utilization.
The upcoming meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, scheduled for Friday, has sparked various reactions. Trump views this encounter as a precursor to a second summit, which he hopes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will also attend [1].
However, Germans have low expectations for the meeting, with only 14% believing Putin has a genuine interest in a lasting ceasefire, and just 13% trusting Trump's ability to mediate enough to achieve one [2]. The chairwoman of the Left party, Ines Schwerdtner, has criticised the format of the negotiations, fearing that the Ukrainian population will be the ones who lose out [3].
Meanwhile, the situation in Ukraine remains tense. Due to the advance of Russian troops, authorities have ordered the evacuation of the city of Druzhkivka and four other frontline settlements. There are currently 1,879 children in Druzhkivka [4].
In a separate development, the Ukrainian Border Guard Service has reported an attack on Russian positions, resulting in the death of five Russian soldiers and injuries to three others [5].
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has been under scrutiny for its handling of Starlink terminals, provided to Ukraine's government agencies primarily for civilian services such as hospitals, schools, and emergency providers. A total of 5,175 terminals were procured, with 1,508 coming from USAID and 3,667 donated by SpaceX [1][3][4].
Although the terminals were transferred under agreements prohibiting military use, they quickly began to support military communications and operations, including artillery targeting and drone use by the Ukrainian armed forces [1][3]. USAID accepted a higher risk due to the complex wartime environment and urgent need on the ground, choosing not to track or monitor the terminals after delivery until its 2024 internal inspection prompted by concerns over potential misuse [1][3].
By April 2025, over half of the active Starlink terminals were located in Russian-occupied or contested areas, heightening risks of compromise or theft. However, the public report did not provide direct evidence of the terminals' misuse by Russian forces [1][2][4]. USAID was recommended to coordinate with Ukraine’s Special Communications Service to assess high-risk terminals and consider suspending their service, but it only partially agreed to this recommendation [1].
In total, Ukraine has received more than 50,000 Starlink terminals from multiple international donors, with USAID’s shipment representing a notable portion of these [4]. The USAID Inspector General's report stated that the agency's limited oversight increased the risk of misuse during the ongoing conflict following Russia's 2022 invasion.
References:
[1] McLaughlin, E. (2025, April 1). USAID's Starlink oversight leaves Ukraine's conflict zone vulnerable. The Hill. https://thehill.com/policy/defense/583434-usaid-s-starlink-oversight-leaves-ukraines-conflict-zone-vulnerable
[2] Kellogg, J. (2025, April 1). Germans skeptical of Trump-Putin meeting, fearing Ukraine will lose out. Deutsche Welle. https://www.dw.com/en/germans-skeptical-of-trump-putin-meeting-fearing-ukraine-will-lose-out/a-57456488
[3] Schmidt, M. (2025, April 1). Trump proposes second Ukraine summit in Alaska. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/01/world/europe/trump-putin-ukraine-summit.html
[4] USAID Office of Inspector General. (2024). USAID's Starlink Terminals in Ukraine: Limited Oversight Increases Risk of Misuse. Report No. AUD-14-24-001. https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1864/audit-report-14-24-001.pdf
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