(MENAFN- UkrinForm) This was announced by the European Commission's press servic, Ukrinform reports.

"Ukraine's participation will reinforce Europe's secure space capabilities at a critical moment. This is a decisive step toward a stronger, more united Europe that can protect its citizens on the ground and in space," said European Commissioner for Defence and Space, Andrius Kubilius.

GOVSATCOM is designed to provide secure and resilient satellite communication capabilities by pooling and sharing satellite resources from EU member states and private operators. Strengthening cooperation in the GOVSATCOM component is the next step in advancing Ukraine's participation in the EU Space Programme. The first step was taken in April 2025, when the EU signed an agreement with Ukraine on its participation in components of the EU space program such as Copernicus, space weather monitoring, and near-Earth objects, the Commission noted.

The initiative aligns with the EU's ongoing support for Ukraine through various instruments, including the SAFE mechanism, and promotes investments in sovereign space capabilities, such as the IRIS2 satellite system, which is to be deployed by 2030 to ensure secure and resilient communications across Europe and beyond.

The upcoming agreement with Ukraine is expected to enhance the resilience of the EU's communication infrastructure by providing additional secure connectivity capacity in a strategically important region. It will also support the broader goals of the EU's Global Gateway strategy and theWhite Paper for European Defence – Readiness 2030.

The European Commission emphasized that these negotiations represent another step toward deepening the partnership between the EU and Ukraine in areas critical to Europe's security and stability.

Read also: EU considering cash balances of Russian assets to provide loan for Ukraine – von der Leyen

Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Technological Sovereignty, Security, and Democracy, stated: "Secure connectivity is essential for Europe's resilience. By deepening our cooperation with Ukraine, we strengthen our shared security and our ability to act in a rapidly changing world."

Ukraine's participation in EU space programs will be finalized after the conclusion of an international agreement under Article 218 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).

As reported earlier, Commissioner Andrius Kubilius told Ukrinfor that the EU is building a secure satellite communication system to end its dependence on the American Starlink.

Photo: pixabay

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