The Wall Street Journal reports, citing current and former government sources from the US, Europe, and Russia, that tech billionaire Elon Musk has been in regular contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin since late 2022. The two discussed geopolitical, business, and personal topics.
Musk did not respond to requests for comment from the business newspaper or on his social network, X. Through his X profile, he regularly spreads radical right-wing views and support for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
Musk denied reports that he would have contact with Putin two years ago, but the newspaper knows those contacts did exist. The two were still in contact this year. Two sources with knowledge told the Journal that Putin already asked Musk not to activate his Starlink satellites in Taiwan. Putin wanted to do a favour to Chinese President Xi Jinping. The Chinese regime claims Taiwan as part of its territory and supports Putin in his war with Ukraine.
In the early days of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Musk turned on his Starlink satellites to provide internet to Ukraine after Russian attacks severely disrupted internet services. In the meantime, the US Department of Defense has a contract with SpaceX for this.
Nuclear weapons
However, Musk’s biography already revealed that the tech billionaire had refused a Ukrainian request to activate Starlink on the Crimean peninsula as well because he feared a military escalation with nuclear weapons. Putin regularly uses the atomic weapons argument to avoid further Western involvement in Ukraine.
Musk owns X and is the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, the space company. His Tesla shares, in particular, make him one of the wealthiest people in the world. SpaceX plays a key role in the American space program.
In his campaign, Trump has already announced that he will include Musk in his administration if he wins the November 5 election.