Ukraine, U.S. Defense Sales, and Europe’s Strategic Dilemma

In late August 2025, the U.S. State Department approved two new Foreign Military Sales to Ukraine: $150 million for satellite communications services and $825 million for extended-range precision munitions. These agreements, managed through the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, confirm Washington’s central role in sustaining Kyiv’s defense capacity and in anchoring Ukraine firmly within the NATO standard of interoperability. The satellite package will extend Starlink services, providing secure battlefield connectivity, while the munitions deal will supply thousands of Extended Range Attack Munition (ERAM) missiles. Together they reflect a U.S. strategy of combining enablers such as communications with strike capabilities, ensuring that Ukraine remains operationally resilient. For Europe, however, these sales pose a larger question: how sustainable is it for the continent to rely on American systems rather than developing its own capabilities within the EU framework?