Estonia has decided to allocate €3.5 million to Ukraine for the purchase of Starlink communication systems within the IT Coalition, thereby improving Ukraine's IT capacity and supporting it in countering Russian aggression.

Source: Estonian Ministry of Defence, as reported by European Pravda

Details: As Estonia's Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur noted, Ukraine itself informed them of the need for support to ensure Starlink connectivity.

"And understandably, this is extremely important assistance for them, with a noticeable effect on the battlefield. Starlink's capability is particularly critical given Ukraine's intention to significantly increase the number of drone units, which require high-capacity internet connectivity," Pevkur said.

He recalled that Ukraine fights every day for the freedom of all Europe, including Estonia.

"Therefore, in addition to weapons, information technology support is also critical, and I am pleased that we are able to help Ukraine enhance its IT capabilities and thereby increase their chances of victory in a war that claims hundreds of lives every day," Pevkur added.

The €3.5 million allocated for the purchase of Starlink communication systems comes from the assistance package for Ukraine planned by Estonia for 2025.

The funds intended for the joint procurement of Starlink will be channelled through the IT Coalition, led by Estonia and Luxembourg.

This year, Estonia has provided Ukraine with military assistance amounting to around 0.3% of Estonia's GDP. The assistance has been directed towards the purchase of military aid for Ukraine through Estonian companies, training conducted by the Estonian Defence Forces, and the development of information technologies via the IT Coalition.

Background:

• In August, the US State Department approved a decision on the potential sale to Ukraine of satellite communication services and related equipment worth around US$150 million.
• On 13 November, Nordic and Baltic NATO countries agreed to finance a US$500 million package under the PURL initiative, which is used to procure American weapons for Ukraine.

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