Ukraine is invited to the European alternative to Starlink: what is known

The European Union has launched the strategic satellite initiative IRIS²

According to glavcom.ua: The European Union opens its strategic satellite initiative IRIS² (Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite) to partner countries. Among the invitees are Ukraine, Norway, and the United Kingdom. This was reported by the European Commission, according to Euractiv, as stated by 'Glavcom'.

European Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton emphasized that Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and Norway are considered desirable partners given their technological potential and strategic ties with the EU. Participation in the project will allow these countries to access secure satellite communications infrastructure and collaborate in the field of digital security.

The potential of Ukraine and other countries in the IRIS² project

For his part, European Commissioner for Defense and Space Andrius Kubilius noted that currently only Norway is actively negotiating joining IRIS². The United Kingdom and Ukraine have not yet entered official consultations, however, the EU is open to cooperation.

Kubilius added that the United Kingdom has a strong infrastructure in the space sector, while Ukraine, given its past as one of the leading space centers of the USSR, has great potential. The IRIS² project is estimated at 10.6 billion euros. Its implementation is planned for the 2030s, with a total of about 280 satellites.

Prospects for Ukraine in the IRIS² network

For comparison, the American company SpaceX is already deploying the Starlink network, which is expected to include more than 40,000 satellites. Ukraine's invitation to participate in IRIS² opens new prospects for its technological integration with Europe and improving resilience to cyber threats and information isolation.

It is worth noting that in December 2024, the European Union began working on its own satellite network called IRIS², which is intended to provide encrypted global internet connectivity.

It is reported that the European Union has offered Ukraine, Norway, and the United Kingdom to participate in its satellite initiative IRIS². This opens new opportunities for Ukraine in terms of technological cooperation with Europe and enhancing resilience to cyber threats.