hold as a result of border geopolitical tensions.
Giorgia Meloni, the Prime Minister of the government, is looking to guarantee encrypted communications between the government and has reported diplomats and defense officials who are operating in risky areas. However, Starlink is one of the companies that can provide the systems.
Guido Cresetto has been quoted as saying “It seems to me that everything has come to a standstill” in the La Republica newspaper. He also said that it was partly due to the fact that discussions have been moving from a technical aspect to “statements” that have been more related to and about Elon Musk.
Since 2021, Starlink has been one of the primary companies with 7000 active low-orbit satellites and it has been offering its services in Italy since 2021. Even more so, Reuters has also said that they were considering a five-year deal that was worth a total of $1.62 billion with a company that is part of Musk’s SpaceX group.
Yet, talks between the government and Starlink have also triggered outrage among opposition politicians who came with questions regarding the wisdom of handing a national security contract to a foreign businessman and also to a close ally of US President Donald Trump.
Even more so, Meloni has made the alliance with the US one of the priorities when it comes to Italy’s foreign policy. However, Trump’s actions have antagonized Rome’s European allies, forcing her to perform a political balancing act.
She is also under pressure when it comes to her coalition partner, the far-right League, that keeps supporting Trump and Musk. Starting Friday, the League’s leader, as well as Matteo Savini, said that he had a phone call with the U.S. VP JD Vance in which he mentioned “the remarkable American capabilities in key areas such as satellite communications".
The minister also mentioned, “The point is: what is most useful and safe for the nation.”. Also worth mentioning, Andrea Stroppa, a representative from Musk in Italy said on Saturday that it made sense for Italy and its European partners to create their own independent satellite infrastructure for low-orbit telecommunications. Adding in an X interview “In the next 3-5 years, there's an operating necessity that should be fulfilled,”, reported Reuters.
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