Negotiations on a potential contract between Elon Musk’s satellite internet operator Starlink and the Italian government have stalled, reflecting broader geopolitical tensions, Italy’s defense minister said on Saturday.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government is aiming to guarantee encrypted communications between the government, diplomats and defense officials operating in risky areas and Starlink is among the contenders to provide the system.
“It seems to me that everything has come to a standstill,” Guido Crosetto was quoted as saying by newspaper La Repubblica.
He said it was partly due to the fact that discussions moved from technical aspects to “statements” by and about Musk, without elaborating about those statements.
Starlink is a dominant force in the sector with around 7,000 active low-orbit satellites and it has been offering its services in Italy since 2021. Sources have told Reuters Rome was considering a five-year deal worth a total of €1.5 billion ($1.62 billion) with the company that is part of Musk’s SpaceX group.
But talks between the government and Starlink have sparked outrage among opposition politicians who question the wisdom of handing a national security contract to a foreign businessman and close ally of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Meloni has put the alliance with the United States at the heart of Italy’s foreign policy, but Trump’s actions, which have antagonized Rome’s European allies, are forcing her to perform a political balancing act. While the Italian leader aligns with Trump on several issues, she remains a strong supporter of Ukraine against Russian aggression.
At home, she is under pressure from her coalition partner, the far-right League, to keep supporting Trump and Musk.
“It seems to me that everything has come to a standstill,” Guido Crosetto was quoted as saying by newspaper La Repubblica.
He said it was partly due to the fact that discussions moved from technical aspects to “statements” by and about Musk, without elaborating about those statements.
Starlink is a dominant force in the sector with around 7,000 active low-orbit satellites and it has been offering its services in Italy since 2021. Sources have told Reuters Rome was considering a five-year deal worth a total of €1.5 billion ($1.62 billion) with the company that is part of Musk’s SpaceX group.
But talks between the government and Starlink have sparked outrage among opposition politicians who question the wisdom of handing a national security contract to a foreign businessman and close ally of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Meloni has put the alliance with the United States at the heart of Italy’s foreign policy, but Trump’s actions, which have antagonized Rome’s European allies, are forcing her to perform a political balancing act. While the Italian leader aligns with Trump on several issues, she remains a strong supporter of Ukraine against Russian aggression.
At home, she is under pressure from her coalition partner, the far-right League, to keep supporting Trump and Musk.
Outrage in Europe
Meanwhile, Musk, widely seen as an influential member of Trump’s administration, has sparked outrage in Europe by using X, the social media platform he owns, to drum up support for far-right parties across the continent.
Earlier this month, the tech billionaire raised concerns when he speculated about shutting down Ukraine’s access to Starlink, claiming that the country’s entire front line “would collapse if I turned it off.”
He later clashed with Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski, who responded on X: “If SpaceX proves to be an unreliable provider, we [Poland] will be forced to look for other suppliers.”
Poland has been a major sponsor of Starlink’s use in Ukraine, with its Ministry of Digital Affairs estimating that the country has spent around €77 million on more than 24,500 terminals sent to Ukraine.
Musk’s remarks have intensified calls for Europe to reduce its reliance on billionaire’s SpaceX.
On Tuesday, Eutelsat, Europe’s largest low-Earth orbit satellite operator, said that it is prepared to step in and replace Starlink in Ukraine if necessary.
‘Visionary genius’
On Friday, the League’s leader and Meloni’s deputy Matteo Salvini said he had a phone call with U.S. Vice President JD Vance, in which he praised “the remarkable American capabilities in key areas such as satellite communications.”
Crosetto said that when the situation calmed down, talks would move back to a technical level.
“The point is: what is most useful and safe for the nation,” said the minister, who in the same interview described Musk as a “visionary genius.”
Andrea Stroppa, a representative for Musk in Italy, said on Saturday it made sense for Italy and its European partners to create their own independent satellite infrastructure for low-orbit telecommunication, but Starlink could be the best solution for the short term.
“In the next 3-5 years, there's an operating necessity that should be fulfilled,” he said during a live interview on X.
Stroppa said Crosetto had visited SpaceX facilities in the U.S.
More In Politics MORE...
