Italian government pauses €1.5 billion deal with Starlink
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Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto stated on Sunday in an interview with the newspaper Repubblica that negotiations between Palazzo Chigi and Starlink, Elon Musk's international communication provider, are at a standstill due to current geopolitical tensions between Europe and the United States.
In recent months, Italy's PM Giorgia Meloni had been considering a five-year agreement worth €1.5 billion with Starlink, which would have allowed diplomats, defense officials, and the government to use an encrypted communications service. Starlink, operational since 2019 and a leading force in the sector, operates 7,000 satellites in low-orbit.
Tensions between U.S. and Europe have put pressure on relations between Italy and the White House, and opposition parties in the Italian parliament have strongly disapproved the government's deal with Starlink, especially due to Musk's recent closeness to the Trump administration. Crosetto stated that currently, discussions are no longer focused on the agreement, but rather on Musk's statements—and what is being said about him.
However, the Italian Defense Minister also specified that negotiations could resume once relations between Brussels and the White House become less tense, while the current priority is national security. The Italian government could also consider a potential deal with the French operator Eutelsat. Meanwhile, the EU will make Iris2 - a satellite service - available in a few years, aiming to offer a European alternative to Starlink.
In recent months, Italy's PM Giorgia Meloni had been considering a five-year agreement worth €1.5 billion with Starlink, which would have allowed diplomats, defense officials, and the government to use an encrypted communications service. Starlink, operational since 2019 and a leading force in the sector, operates 7,000 satellites in low-orbit.
Tensions between U.S. and Europe have put pressure on relations between Italy and the White House, and opposition parties in the Italian parliament have strongly disapproved the government's deal with Starlink, especially due to Musk's recent closeness to the Trump administration. Crosetto stated that currently, discussions are no longer focused on the agreement, but rather on Musk's statements—and what is being said about him.
However, the Italian Defense Minister also specified that negotiations could resume once relations between Brussels and the White House become less tense, while the current priority is national security. The Italian government could also consider a potential deal with the French operator Eutelsat. Meanwhile, the EU will make Iris2 - a satellite service - available in a few years, aiming to offer a European alternative to Starlink.