On Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen urged Europe to fortify its space industry during the second day of the international space summit co-hosted by France and Germany at Paris’s Grand Palais.
Speaking at the summit, Macron characterized Europe’s space sector as “fragile” and stressed the necessity of bolstering its capabilities, advocating for “shared governance” of the industry.
“Outer space remains the only major global commons that lacks regulations commensurate with its stakes,” he stated. “Shared governance is essential to address these challenges.”
Macron also noted that over 51 deals are expected to be signed throughout the summit, representing approximately €20 billion in investments.
Conversely, von der Leyen highlighted the imperative for Europe to advance, underscoring the pivotal role space plays in both scientific exploration and defense, particularly in light of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“The capacity to access and operate in space not only underpins our prosperity but increasingly dictates our security and independence. Nowhere is this more evident than in Ukraine,” she remarked.
“Satellite communications maintain soldier connectivity, while satellite imagery exposes movements hundreds of kilometers away.”
Reducing Reliance on the US Drives Europe’s Space Ambitions
Europe’s effort to expand its military space assets has been fueled by Russia’s war in Ukraine and a strategic move to distance itself from its longstanding dependence on the United States in the space domain.
Historically, Europe has invested 0.07% of its GDP into space programs, compared to 0.24% by the US. However, 2025 marked a turning point when the European Space Agency (ESA) approved a record-breaking €22.3 billion budget for its three-year funding cycle (2026–2028) in November, allocating €35 billion for space security and defense.
“Security on Earth increasingly depends on our security in space,” von der Leyen stated, further emphasizing the significance of IRIS², the European Union’s upcoming flagship satellite constellation program.
“Last month, we decided to accelerate the system by expanding it to more than 350 satellites,” she added.
Von der Leyen also stressed the need for the Commission, the European Space Agency, and national governments to “pool” their strengths while calling for investment “at scale.”
Macron and Joseph Aschbacher, Director of the European Space Agency (ESA)—who also addressed the summit—joined a live call with astronaut Sophie Adenot, who is currently on a nine-month mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS) named the εpsilon mission.