Munich, 14 February 2025
Good evening
Ladies and gentlemen,
Director-General,
You ask: Is space the next battleground?
I say: Space already is a battleground. Not just the next one.
In Russia’s buildup to war, satellite intelligence revealed troop movements. Everyone could see what they were doing.
And the first thing Russia did—one hour before its full-scale invasion of Ukraine—was launch a cyberattack to disrupt commercial satellite connections.
Russia continues to launch satellites that could attack other satellites.
At the same time, satellites help Ukraine:
- To communicate.
- To operate drones.
- To locate, target, and destroy the enemy.
- To expose Russian war crimes—like mass graves.
This war is already a space war—fought on Earth.
The real question is: How will space change the battleground?
I have had many inspiring meetings with companies and CEOs. Yesterday, I had the privilege of speaking with many of you at the New Space Symposium.
It is clear that space will only become more important—not just as part of warfare, but as a theatre of war itself.
The space revolution will go hand in hand with revolutions in:
- Data
- Artificial Intelligence
- Connectivity
What we are seeing is the Internet of Things—but adapted for war. A fully connected battlefield. Connected through space.
The challenge is not just to build:
- A more powerful tank.
- A faster fighter jet.
But to create:
- A fully connected tank.
- A fully connected jet.
- A battlefield where everything is connected and plugged into real-time data.
From space and the ground, this will enable:
- Full situational awareness.
- Instant decision-making.
This is what experts call a “system of systems.” And it’s clear: Space will be vital.
Just as roads, ships, and rail are essential for transporting troops and tanks, space assets are now essential—both for citizens and for military operations.
- Galileo provides the world’s best positioning, navigation, and timing services.
- Copernicus delivers the best Earth observation capabilities.
- Iris² will ensure the best global connectivity.
Space is already decisive on the battleground. And space itself could become a battleground.
New threats are emerging:
- Anti-satellite weapons
- Orbital weapons
- Jamming of communication and navigation
- Debris threatening satellites
What once seemed like science fiction has become today’s reality.
Europe is a global space power. Our space assets protect us.
But we must not fall behind.
To defend ourselves using space—and to defend space itself—we must stay at the forefront of both civilian and military space capabilities.
The 21st century will be the century of space. And Europeans have a long tradition of exploration. We must once again lead on this frontier.
That is why we will continue to develop and expand our space flagships:
- Galileo
- Copernicus
- Iris²
And we must guarantee autonomous access to space.
- The inaugural launch of Ariane 6 and the return of Vega C are important steps.
- But we need to accelerate our work on launchers and increase competition in space transportation to strengthen European capabilities.
Working with the European Space Agency, Member States, and industry, we will develop a long-term vision for European launchers—to ensure our sovereignty in space.
Investment is key.
- National investment.
- Private investment.
- Investment through the European Union and the European Space Agency.
And above all, investment for maximum impact—through collective effort.
We must also mobilize space for defense:
- Protecting official communications, starting now.
- Strengthening Governmental Satellite Communication systems.
- Activating Galileo’s Public Regulated Service later this year.
- Enhancing space-based intelligence and surveillance.
President Niinistö’s strategic report on EU preparedness highlighted the need for intelligence—especially from space.
We need more than eyes in space.
We need spies in space.
A state-of-the-art Earth Observation system will provide a continuous flow of intelligence. Europe already has world-class expertise in multiple Earth observation technologies—built on decades of cooperation.
We must also develop a missile Early Warning system in space to protect ourselves on Earth.
And we are advancing autonomous space situational awareness to protect our satellites.
To further this, I want to establish a dialogue with Member States and space commands—to explore European Space Domain Awareness for monitoring threats, including military threats.
All these defensive efforts must be united under a single European Space Shield.
This should be one of the most important Common European Defence Projects.
Above all, we need you.
I am glad you are here today. Because with you, we can keep Europe safe.
Because:
- There is no defense without space.
- And there is no space without industry.
I look forward to our discussion.
Source – EU Commission