Elon Musk said on Monday he was ready to provide Italy with secure communication services after Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni denied that the issue had come up during a weekend visit to the United States.

Italian opposition leaders roundly criticized Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government for engaging in talks with Elon Musk’s SpaceX on a €1.5 billion ($1.6 billion) deal for encrypted communications systems.

Billionaire Elon Musk is looking to carve out a role in Italy's telecommunications system by expanding his aerospace business Space X and satellite broadband venture Starlink.

Italy is reportedly close to sealing a €1.5 billion (£1.25 billion) deal with Elon Musk’s SpaceX that would provide the country’s government with secure telecommunications.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni did not discuss the issue of Elon Musk's SpaceX supplying Italy with its Starlink services during her weekend visit to the United States, her office said in a statement on Monday.

Andrea Stroppa, Elon Musk's Italian representative, on Tuesday blasted media coverage of reports that were subsequently denied of an agreement between the Italian government and the world's richest man's SpaceX company.