Palantir Says NATO AI 'Has No Kill Switch' As EU Questions US Reliance

Palantir has sought to ease European fears over dependence on U.S. defense technology, saying neither Washington nor the company can remotely disable the military AI platform deployed at NATO headquarters.

Louis Mosley, its executive vice president for the U.K. and Europe, told Reuters on Wednesday that customers retain operational control of the Maven Smart System.

His assurances follow restrictions on Ukraine’s military satellite communications that have intensified concerns about access to American technology.

“There are no kill switches. There's no ability for Palantir or the US government to reach in and switch it off.”

Ukraine Disruption Raises Concerns

Ukraine said last week that terminals using Starshield, the military-grade service running on SpaceX’s Starlink satellite network, had ceased functioning on fast-moving platforms.

The restrictions hampered operations, including interceptor drone missions against Russian attacks.

U.S. and Ukrainian officials, along with SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk, have given conflicting accounts of the disruption.

Ukrainian and European officials suspected political pressure, pointing to its timing after President Donald Trump demanded that Kyiv halt attacks on Russian oil refineries.

The cause remains disputed.

For European policymakers, the episode raised fresh questions about whether reliance on U.S. suppliers could leave military capabilities vulnerable to decisions beyond their control.

Palantir Stresses Customer Control

Mosley, speaking in Brussels, described the recent Starlink developments as concerning but said Palantir’s customers could operate its software independently.

“It can absolutely be operated independently of us, and we have many, many customers around the world, both actually in the military and in the corporate world, who do that,” he said.

Maven combines information collected by satellites, radar and other sensors to help commanders assess battlefield conditions and make decisions faster.

NATO purchased the platform in 2025 for Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe. The alliance announced in June this year that it had reached full technical operational capability.

France and Germany Hold Back

Several European armed forces use Maven, but France and Germany have declined to adopt it for their national militaries, citing dependence on an American supplier amid recurring tensions with Trump.

Germany’s cyber command chief rejected a Maven purchase in April, objecting to private-company employees accessing the national military database.

Mosley said customers decide whether Palantir personnel participate in operating the platform.

Any employees involved would hold citizenship in the customer’s country and the necessary security clearances, he said.