Europe negotiating with four companies to replace Starlink in Ukraine - FT
Photo: Europe is looking for an alternative to Starlink for Ukraine (Getty Images)
Europe is searching for satellite communication solutions for Ukraine that could replace Starlink, the satellite service owned by American billionaire Elon Musk. Negotiations are currently underway with four European companies, according to the Financial Times.
Four major satellite operators — Luxembourg's SES, Spain's Hisdesat, Viasat (which owns British company Inmarsat), and France's Eutelsat/OneWeb — told Financial Times that they are in talks with EU governments and institutions to provide backup communication services for Ukraine.
However, as FT notes, quickly replacing Starlink terminals will be difficult, as they have been accumulating in Ukraine for years. According to Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov, more than 40,000 terminals are currently in operation. They are used not only by the military but also by hospitals, businesses, and humanitarian organizations.
SES CEO Adel Al-Saleh explained that the company is already providing services to Ukraine but is also participating in negotiations to expand its capabilities. Viasat representatives assured that they could help meet Ukraine's needs, as significant capacity is available on the market, with even larger capacities expected in the near future.
However, as Luke Palermo Serra from the consulting firm Analysys Mason told FT, none of the existing options can provide the same level of service as Starlink. Even if all European capacities were combined, they would not be able to match Starlink, which operates over 7,000 satellites in low Earth orbit.
Starlink's operations in Ukraine
Starlink, the satellite network owned by Elon Musk, has been providing critical communication services in Ukraine since the full-scale Russian invasion, especially in combat zones and liberated areas. However, throughout the three-year war, there have been multiple discussions about the risk of terminal operations being blocked within Ukraine.
While this has not happened yet, the possibility of Starlink’s services being disrupted has become more relevant. This is due to the halt in US military aid to Ukraine. According to Reuters, the US threatened to disconnect Ukraine from Starlink during negotiations over a minerals deal.
