Ukraine has opened talks with the European Commission on joining Govsatcom and IRIS², the EU’s two secure satellite communications programmes. EU defence and space commissioner Andrius Kubilius announced the talks at an international space summit in Paris, Euractiv reported.
“We have started negotiations on Ukraine joining Govsatcom and IRIS²,” the commissioner said. The arrangement would let EU and Ukrainian troops coordinate within a single system, according to Kubilius. He has argued for Ukraine’s access to the network before.
IRIS² is being built to carry military and diplomatic traffic for the EU. The first satellites in the constellation are due to start launching by 2029. Poland joined the system in July, becoming one of its six main participants.
Ukraine’s possible access to the network was already discussed in the summer of 2025. Britain and Norway were named at the time as other candidates from outside the EU.
