Since the end of 2022, Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX and Tesla, has been actively maintaining contacts with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
According to The Wall Street Journal, citing sources from the United States, Europe and Russia, Musk and Putin are discussing a wide range of topics – from personal to business and geopolitical, which is causing concern among some representatives of the US presidential administration. They see the potential risks associated with a billionaire’s access to classified information.
Musk’s relationship with the Kremlin is carefully hidden, and even some White House officials were not aware. In addition to Putin, Musk also spoke with other senior Russian officials, in particular with Sergei Kiriyenko, the head of the Kremlin administration. The details of their conversations remain unknown.
It is worth noting that at first Musk actively supported Ukraine, providing it with several hundred Starlink terminals to provide communications. However, in 2022, his position changed: Musk limited the use of Starlink in offensive operations, which coincided with a period of pressure from the Kremlin. In October of the same year, he proposed a “peace plan” that provided for the neutral status of Ukraine and the recognition of Crimea as part of Russia. This move was accompanied by more frequent contacts with Putin, which sources say will continue into 2024.
American political scientist Ian Bremmer mentioned that Musk told him about the Kremlin’s “red lines,” hinting at Russia’s readiness to use nuclear weapons if Ukraine tries to return Crimea. Musk, he said, emphasized the importance of avoiding such a scenario.
In addition, in late 2023, Putin asked Musk not to activate the Starlink system in Taiwan to support Xi Jinping, China’s leader, further fueling suspicions about the nature of Iask’s ties to the Kremlin.
Previously, the Russian president openly spoke out in support of Musk and publicly defended former US President Donald Trump, emphasizing the “rottenness” of the American political system.