EU should fund Ukraine's access to satellite internet, Commission says

By Gianluca Lo Nostro

(Reuters) - The European Union should fund Ukraine's access to space services that can be provided by EU-based commercial providers, the European Commission said in its white paper on the future of European defence published on Wednesday.

Europe has been rushing to shield Ukraine's internet access after sources close to the matter told Reuters last month that the war-torn country faced imminent shutoff of Elon Musk's Starlink if it did not sign a minerals deal with the United States.

European satellite operators are in talks with the EU as they have been asked if they can step in and replace Starlink.

The EU should act "in support and upon demand of the Ukrainian Armed Forces", the paper said, adding that Kyiv should also be granted access to the bloc's space programme.

"This will help Ukraine to enhance its resilience by diversifying its sources of space-based services," it said.

EUROPEAN ALTERNATIVES TO STARLINK

Poland, whose foreign minister at the centre of a social media spat with Musk said Ukraine might need an alternative to Starlink, pays for a part of Kyiv's Starlink connectivity.

Spain's Hisdesat, one of the satellite companies approached by the EU, said it would increase commercial and military capabilities over Ukraine once its Spainsat NG I satellite enters into service.

"Hispasat (Hisdesat's largest shareholder) is currently analyzing the different capacities available to provide these services in Ukraine," a company spokesperson told Reuters.

Franco-British Eutelsat, which manages the only other constellation of low Earth satellites besides Starlink's, declined to comment.

Luxembourg-based SES did not respond to a Reuters' request for comment.

($1 = 0.9152 euros)

(Reporting by Gianluca Lo Nostro in Gdansk; editing by Milla Nissi)