Quantum communication is emerging as one of the key communication technologies of the 21st century, and is expected to lie at the core of next-generation digital communications and services. For these reasons all developed nations are introducing new major research programs for quantum communications. This is especially so in Europe, where recently a large consortium successfully completed key tests of a space-based quantum communications link, representing a major step forward in the development a global quantum internet. Quantum communications will deliver features that are simply unattainable with current communication networks, including unconditional information security, and capacity beyond the theoretical limit of classical networks. Quantum communications will also be pivotal for the transfer of quantum information over distributed computer environments that link emerging quantum computers together. Although great progress has been made in recent years, much mission-critical research in quantum communications remains. Research focus is particularly required in the extension of current point-to-point quantum systems to the more complex interconnecting networks envisioned for a quantum internet. This talk discusses these issues.