EU governments are in talks with four European satellite firms about providing a back-up service for Starlink in Ukraine, as the region pushes to boost tech sovereignty amid mounting transatlantic tensions.Starlink has provided a vital communications system to Ukraines military since Russias full-scale invasion began in 2022. It allows the armed forces to coordinate drone strikes, identify targets, and stream battlefield data to troops on the ground in real-time.However, European leaders are increasingly concerned about relying on Starlink fears stoked by a Reuters report that US officials had threatened to cut off the system in Ukraine if the country didnt meet their demands on sharing its mineral wealth. Elon Musk, CEO of Starlinks parent company SpaceX, refuted the claims. Nevertheless, the situation has raised doubts over the security implications of Ukraine and broader Europe relying on a single, privately owned network whose boss has direct ties to the Trump administration.In response, discussions with European alternatives to Starlink are in full swing. Leading the pack is French/British satellite provider Eutelsat. The firms CEO, Eva Berneke, confirmed to Bloomberg last week that it was in talks with the EU about extending its internet service to Ukraine. Berneke said Eutelsat was also in very positive talks with Italy, whose government is fiercely debating whether to pick Starlink to provide encrypted communications for government officials.The of EU techThe latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now!Three other companies the UKs Inmarsat, Luxembourgs SES, and Spains Hisdesat told the Financial Times they were also discussing with governments and EU institutions about how to provide back-up connectivity to Ukraine. Miguel ngel Garca Primo, CEO of Hisdesat, which provides secure satellite communications for governments, said his company had been contacted by several European officials.But replacing Starlink wont be easy. Starlink is by far the largest satellite comms provider, with over 7,000 probes in low-Earth orbit and 40,000 terminals on the ground in Ukraine alone.However, Berneke was bullish on Eutelsats capabilities. She said that the firm could match Starlinks terminal count in Ukraine probably in a couple of months. Eutelsat already has 2,000 terminals in the war-torn country.Whether a Starlink back-up service would comprise a mesh of different operators or just one is unclear at this stage. Either way, these four companies likely present Europes best option right now to cut ties with Musks firm and put the regions satellite communications in safer hands.Longer term, Europe has its bets placed on IRIS, a planned multi-orbit satellite internet constellation expected to switch on in 2030. There are also reports of an Airbus-Leonardo-Thales Alenia Space joint venture called Project Bromo that could challenge Starlinks global dominance. Story by Sin Geschwindt Sin is a climate and energy reporter at TNW. From nuclear fusion to escooters, he covers the length and breadth of Europe's clean tech ecos (show all) Sin is a climate and energy reporter at TNW. From nuclear fusion to escooters, he covers the length and breadth of Europe's clean tech ecosystem. He's happiest sourcing a scoop, investigating the impact of emerging technologies, and even putting them to the test. Sin has five years journalism experience and holds a dual degree in media and environmental science from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. Get the TNW newsletterGet the most important tech news in your inbox each week.Also tagged with