US threatens Europe with ‘devastating’ retaliation if EU restricts SpaceX’s access to European market

U.S. Ambassador Andrew Puzder warned European companies that they could face "devastating" retaliation from the United States if the European Commission restricts American competitors' access to parts of the European market. This dispute revolves around a proposal to reserve a portion of the radio spectrum, enabling smartphones to connect directly to satellites, for European companies. This move would limit spectrum access for Chinese and American companies, including SpaceX.

Puzder cautioned European companies to be cautious, as retaliation could have severe consequences due to the size of the American market. He emphasized that it would be "very devastating" for those companies if Washington sought to make U.S. companies less competitive. SpaceX has vehemently opposed the European Commission's proposal, arguing that it could degrade communications quality in Ukraine, where Starlink satellite communication terminals play a crucial role.

Ukrainian military officials reported restrictions on October 14 affecting Starlink's military version, Starshield, amid escalating tensions between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and former U.S. President Donald Trump.

According to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, Trump suggested restricting Starlink's operation in Ukraine, and the president agreed. Meduza, an independent news outlet, used artificial intelligence to translate this story from Russian, following strict editorial standards. The translated piece was reviewed by a Meduza editor before publication. For more exclusive English-language content, readers can subscribe to Meduza's newsletter.