Italy Is Getting Cold Feet Over Deal to Use Musk’s Starlink
c/europe · u/misk@sopuli.xyz · 4 points
Archive: https://archive.is/2025.03.05-182341/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-03-05/italy-is-getting-cold-feet-over-deal-to-use-musk-s-starlink
The Italian government is having growing doubts about closing a €1.5 billion ($1.6 billion) deal with Elon Musk’s Starlink in light of the US pullback from commitments to European security, people familiar with the matter said.
Possible alternatives to Starlink for secure satellite-based communications to the government include Eutelsat Communications SA, according to the people, who asked not to be identified because the talks are confidential. Musk, a close ally of US President Donald Trump, is also seen as an unreliable partner by some in Meloni’s administration, they said.
A spokesperson for the Italian government declined to comment. SpaceX, which owns Starlink, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.