Zelenskyy asks Norway to help build Starlink alternative

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked Norway for cooperation in developing alternatives to Elon Musk's Starlink satellite system during meetings in Oslo. Ukraine faces major problems with Starlink, which its military uses for communication and drone operations, and Zelenskyy warned Europe risks similar vulnerability from dependence on the service. He met with Defense Minister Tore O. Sandvik and Kongsberg Gruppen CEO Eirik Lie, emphasizing new satellite communication capabilities for Ukrainian fighters. According to the Financial Times, Europe lags so far behind in the space race that catching up to the US may seem impossible. Potential alternatives include Eutelsat's OneWeb with 600 satellites versus Starlink's 10,000, and the EU's IRIS² program planning around 300 satellites.