Negotiations between Italy and Starlink de Elon Musk are paralyzed

Negotiations between the Italian government and Starlink, an Internet operator via satellite by Elon Musk, are paralyzed, as revealed by Reuters news agency today. The contract provided for investments of 1.5 billion euros (about R $ 9.2 billion) to provide secure communications to Italian diplomats and defense authorities. Despite the Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, said in January that there was no negotiations, the agreement was about to be closed, according to the publication.

What happened

Italy’s Minister of Defense, Guido Crosetto, in an interview with La Repubblica newspaper, revealed that negotiations were diverted from a technical focus for issues related to Elon Musk’s public “statements”, without specifying what statements would have generated the impasse. Crosetto appealed for conversations to return to the technical scope, emphasizing the urgency of a solution to meet communication needs in risk areas, especially in the Mediterranean, where Italy maintains a strategic presence.

In addition to continuing discussions with Starlink, the Italian government also considers the possibility of developing its own low orbit satellites infrastructure. Andrea Stroppa, a musk representative, suggested that Starlink could be an effective short -term solution, but in the long run Italy could establish an independent network with its European partners. However, controversies on the involvement of a private company and the influence of Musk on the European political scene feed a growing debate on Italy’s digital sovereignty.