- The EU is mulling paying for Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite tv for pc web service in Ukraine, per Politico.
- EU officers are fearful that SpaceX might reduce web service for Ukraine on a whim.
- SpaceX had earlier requested the Pentagon to fund the Starlink service in Ukraine as a result of prices.
The European Union is contemplating paying for Elon Musk’s Starlink web companies in Ukraine — a service key for wartime communication — over fears the billionaire could reduce it off abruptly, Politico reported Monday.
The difficulty was raised by the EU’s chief diplomat Josep Borrell at a Monday EU assembly of international ministers, Gabrielius Landsbergis, the Lithuanian international minister, instructed Politico. The discussions are at an early stage.
That is days after CNN reported that Elon Musk’s SpaceX had requested the Pentagon to fund the satellite tv for pc web service in Ukraine, as a result of prices. The corporate expects the price of operating Starlink in Ukraine to return as much as greater than $120 million for the remainder of 2022 and practically $400 million for 2023.
On Monday, Musk tweeted that SpaceX has withdrawn the request.
Starlink continues to be a loss-making enterprise, Musk stated in a earlier tweet, including SpaceX will “simply hold funding” the web service in Ukraine anyway.
—Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 15, 2022
However there are nonetheless considerations throughout the EU that Ukraine’s web connectivity might be reduce off at his whim, the FT reported.
“In the intervening time, let’s be joyful that he’s paying for it. However we must be on the protected facet,” an unnamed EU official instructed the FT. “The Ukrainians are very fearful that he’ll nonetheless reduce it off.”
Lithuania’s Landsbergis instructed Politico that Ukraine’s web entry should not rely upon a “super-powerful” particular person who might “get up someday and say, ‘That is now not what I really feel like doing and that is it.'”
It will be higher for a coalition of nations to signal an contract with SpaceX in order that the corporate can proceed offering web entry to Ukraine on an official foundation, Landsbergis instructed Politico.
EU officers instructed the FT they are going to discover different satellite tv for pc companies.
An EU spokesperson instructed Insider the bloc “acknowledges the corporate SpaceX’s choice to proceed funding the subscription price of the Starlink terminals” which are important for Ukrainian individuals in locations the place web companies have been destroyed by Russia.
SpaceX didn’t reply to requests from Insider for remark which have been despatched outdoors common enterprise hours.
Controversy over Musk’s peace plan for Ukraine
The developments surrounding Starlink’s companies in Ukraine got here after the billionaire on October 4 tweeted a vote for peace plan that included recognizing Russia’s annexation of Crimea. A Ukrainian diplomat blasted Musk’s controversial proposal, tweeting “Fuck off is my very diplomatic reply to you.”
In response to a tweet on October 14 about SpaceX’s request to the Pentagon to pay for Starlink’s service in Ukraine, Musk stated SpaceX was simply “following” that diplomat’s advice.
—Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 14, 2022
The corporate began sending Starlink terminals in February following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
SpaceX has despatched some 25,300 SpaceX terminals to Ukraine, Musk stated in a tweet on Monday. However “solely 10,630 are paying for service,” he added.
