France invests over 700 million euros in an alternative to Starlink satellites.
France is investing 717 million euros in the Paris-based satellite operator Eutelsat – a global competitor to the American company Starlink, owned by Elon Musk.
As the new administration of U.S. President Donald Trump takes an increasingly dismissive and antagonistic stance towards its European allies, efforts to strengthen the bloc's strategic autonomy are intensifying day by day, especially in Paris.
According to Economy Minister Eric Lombard, the French state’s stake "reflects a clear intention: to position satellite communication as a strategic tool for promoting digital and industrial sovereignty in France and across Europe".
The current ownership of Eutelsat is divided between the French state, which owns 13.6%, and the United Kingdom, which owns 10.9%.
