Following the suspension of military aid and intelligence sharing between the United States and Ukraine, European countries have stepped up their search for alternative sources of satellite communications for Ukraine to replace billionaire Elon Musk's Starlink network, the Financial Times reported, citing its own sources.
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Negotiations with leading European satellite operators
According to the publication, Luxembourg company SES, Spanish Hisdesat, American Viasat (owned by British Inmarsat) and French Eutelsat/OneWeb have confirmed that they are negotiating with EU governments and European institutions. The goal of the negotiations is to find ways to provide backup satellite communications for Ukraine.
Replacing Starlink: A Complex Task
At the same time, replacing Starlink devices is recognized as a difficult task. Ukrainian Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov reported that more than 40 thousand Starlink terminals are currently operating in Ukraine. They are used by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, hospitals, enterprises and humanitarian organizations.
Hisdesat: Readiness to participate and deployment challenges
The CEO of the Spanish company Hisdesat, Miguel Angel Garcia Primo, confirmed that the company had been contacted by representatives of the European authorities.
“We are participating in this initiative,” he said. Garcia Primo also noted that last week’s Oval Office talks between the presidents of the United States and Ukraine “led to immediate discussions about whether the EU could offer alternatives” to Starlink.
At the same time, the head of Hisdesat admitted that “deploying the same number of terminals that Starlink already has is very difficult, if not impossible, since they have been accumulating for years.”
SES: Existing Services and Readiness for Expansion
Luxembourg-based SES CEO Adel Al-Saleh said the company already provides satellite communications services in Ukraine. He also confirmed SES's participation in negotiations to expand satellite communications capabilities in Ukraine.
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