Four European satellite companies are competing to take the place of Starlink in Ukraine.

      EU governments are currently in discussions with four European satellite companies to establish a back-up service for Starlink in Ukraine, as the region seeks to enhance its technological sovereignty amid increasing transatlantic tensions.

      Since the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, Starlink has been essential for Ukraine's military communications, enabling forces to coordinate drone attacks, identify targets, and stream live battlefield data to troops on the ground.

      However, European leaders are growing uneasy about their reliance on Starlink, particularly after a Reuters report suggested that US officials had threatened to disable the service in Ukraine if demands regarding the country’s mineral resources were not met. Elon Musk, the CEO of Starlink’s parent company SpaceX, denied these allegations. Nevertheless, this situation has raised concerns about the security risks associated with Ukraine and Europe depending solely on a privately owned network, especially one whose leader has connections to the Trump administration.

      In light of this, talks with European alternatives to Starlink are advancing. Among the frontrunners is Eutelsat, the French/British satellite provider. Eva Berneke, the firm’s CEO, confirmed to Bloomberg that discussions are underway with the EU to expand internet services to Ukraine. She also mentioned that Eutelsat is engaged in “very positive talks” with Italy, which is currently deliberating whether to select Starlink for encrypted communications for government officials.

      Additionally, three other companies—Inmarsat from the UK, SES from Luxembourg, and Hisdesat from Spain—have informed the Financial Times that they are in talks with various governments and EU bodies regarding providing backup connectivity for Ukraine. Miguel Ángel García Primo, CEO of Hisdesat, noted that his company has been approached by multiple European officials.

      Nonetheless, replacing Starlink will be challenging. It remains the dominant satellite communications provider, with over 7,000 satellites in low-Earth orbit and 40,000 terminals deployed in Ukraine alone.

      Despite this, Berneke expressed confidence in Eutelsat’s potential. She stated that the company could potentially match Starlink’s number of terminals in Ukraine “probably in a couple of months," as Eutelsat currently has 2,000 terminals operating in the conflict-affected country.

      At this point, it is unclear whether a back-up service for Starlink would involve multiple operators or just one. Regardless, these four companies likely represent Europe’s best chance to sever ties with Musk’s company and secure the region's satellite communications.

      In the long run, Europe is pinning its hopes on IRIS², a forthcoming multi-orbit satellite internet constellation anticipated to launch in 2030. Additionally, there are reports of a joint venture—“Project Bromo”—involving Airbus, Leonardo, and Thales Alenia Space, which could potentially rival Starlink's global dominance.