By Gianluca Lo Nostro and Florence Loeve
GDANSK/PARIS (Reuters) -Satellite operator Eutelsat must secure investment from more European countries to bolster its efforts to challenge billionaire Elon Musk’s Starlink, EU lawmakers and analysts say following a commitment by France.
The debt-laden Franco-British company has gained unprecedented attention this year from European governments as the policies of President Donald Trump have raised concern about their reliance on U.S. satellite companies.
A 1.5-billion-euro ($1.8 billion) investment in Eutelsat led by France is set to be approved by shareholders on Tuesday, after which the company hopes other countries will follow suit.
President Emmanuel Macron has urged other countries and companies to invest, framing the decision as a matter of European sovereignty.
EUROPE’S AMBITION IN SPACE
Christophe Grudler, a French member of the European Parliament who has urged the European Commission to find alternatives to Starlink for Ukraine as the war with Russia drags on, said Eutelsat is one of Europe’s best responses to Starlink but it requires political commitment.
Eutelsat Needs to Close Funding Gap to Gain Ground on Starlink
