Eutelsat is ready to replace Elon Musk's Starlink in Ukraine: what the French operator offers

The French satellite operator has announced that it is capable of "quickly" providing equipment for the most critical missions in Ukraine and confirmed the negotiation process regarding this goal with European governments.

This is reported by UNN referencing the Financial Times.

The French company Eutelsat, which owns OneWeb, a competitor to Starlink, stated that it is in talks with European governments to provide additional satellite communication in Ukraine.

Eutelsat emphasized that it is "actively collaborating with European institutions and business partners."

It is highlighted that Eutelsat has equipment that can be "quickly deployed in Ukraine to connect the most important missions and infrastructure." The relevant discussions are taking place considering that Ukraine, which is fighting against Russian aggression, has largely relied on Starlink in its military campaigns. Starlink has played a critically important role in improving communication on the battlefield.

However, U.S. officials, according to Reuters, raised the issue of the possibility of suspending Ukraine's access to the Starlink satellite system. Subsequently, Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of Starlink and a chief advisor to U.S. President Donald Trump, tweeted that this story is not true.

Regarding Eutelsat's proposal:

The French company stated that negotiations with European governments have focused on using a combination of its satellite constellations:

OneWeb at an altitude of about 1200 km above the Earth and Geo satellites at an altitude of 35,000 km - to enhance satellite communication in Ukraine and the Black Sea region.

Eutelsat explained the possible timelines for decision-making and infrastructure provision:

the timelines [for deploying additional user terminals for critical missions and infrastructure] depend on procurement decisions by European member states and the necessary coordination of infrastructure

- the company explained.

UNN reported that the European Commission is exploring options for providing Ukraine with satellite communication due to the threat of Starlink disconnection. Options for using Govsatcom and other commercial satellite systems are being considered.

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