ROME: Negotiations on a potential contract between Elon Musk`s satellite internet operator Starlink and the Italian government have stalled, reflecting broader geopolitical tensions, Italy`s defence minister said on Saturday.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni`s government is aiming to guarantee encrypted communications between the government, diplomats and defence officials operating in risky areas and Starlink is among the contenders to provide the system.`It seems to me that everything has come to a standstill, Guido Crosetto was quoted as saying by newspaper La Repubblica.

He said it was partly due to the fact that discussions moved from technical aspects to `statements` by and about Musk, without elaborating about those statements.

Starlink is a dominant force in the sector with around 7,000 active low-orbit satellites and it has been offering its services in Italy since 2021. Sources havetold Reuters Rome was considering a five-year deal worth a total of 1.5 billion euros ($1.62 billion) with the company that is part of Musk`s SpaceX group.

But talks between the government and Starlink have sparked outrage among opposition politicians who question the wisdom of handing a nationalsecurity contract to a foreign businessman and close ally of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Meloni has put the alliance with the United States at the heart of Italy`s foreign policy, butTrump`s actions, which have antagonised Rome`s European allies, are forcing her to perform a political balancing act.

At home, she is under pressure from her coalition partner, the far-right League, to keep supporting Trump and Musk.

On Friday, the League`s leader and Meloni`s deputy Matteo Salvini said he had a phone call with US Vice President JD Vance, in which he praised `the remarkable American capabilities in key areas such as satellite communications`.-Reuters