Did the world’s richest man Elon Musk speak to Russian dictator Vladimir Putin before Musk tweeted a highly controversial peace plan? Was he essentially a mouthpiece for Putin? According to a report, yes. According to Musk, no.
Elon Musk spoke directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin before tweeting a proposal to end the war in Ukraine that would have seen territory permanently ceded to Russia, it has been claimed.
In a mailout sent to Eurasia Group subscribers, Ian Bremmer wrote that Tesla CEO Musk told him that Putin was “prepared to negotiate,” but only if Crimea remained Russian, if Ukraine accepted a form of permanent neutrality, and Ukraine recognised Russia’s annexation of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
According to Bremmer, Musk said Putin told him these goals would be accomplished “no matter what,” including the potential of a nuclear strike if Ukraine invaded Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014. Bremmer wrote that Musk told him that “everything needed to be done to avoid that outcome.”
Last week, Musk posted essentially the same points on Twitter, although he suggested that the referendums in the annexed territories slammed as sham votes by Ukraine and the West be redone under supervision by the United Nations.
…The Ukrainian response to Musk’s Twitter peace proposal was succinct – one diplomat told him to “fuck off…
As a firestorm ignited (where else?) on Twitter, Musk issued a denial:
Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, reportedly spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin last week before offering a peace plan to end Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine on Twitter – one which could result in Ukraine giving up a large portion of its territory. Musk denied the report in a tweet on Tuesday, shortly after the initial story was published.
The report was part of renowned political scientist Ian Bremmer’s Eurasia Group newsletter sent to subscribers. a Twitter user asked if the report was true and Musk replied, “No, it is not. I have spoken to Putin only once and that was about 18 months ago. The subject matter was space.”
A sampling of some of the Tweets on the report:
Musk should stop asking Putin what he wants and instead apply his ingenuity to helping Ukraine and the free world prevent a bloodthirsty dictator from getting what he wants. https://t.co/KvTQrpnfVt
— Garry Kasparov (@Kasparov63) October 11, 2022
Bremmer's "Eurasia Group" a) employed Carter Page (yes really) and b) promoted an event calling enlisted Arabic translator Malcolm Nance a "spymaster" [sic]. I'll take @ElonMusk's word over his any day of the week and twice on Sundays.
— LouiseMensch ???? (@LouiseMensch) October 11, 2022
It’s insane that we’d allow someone this compromised to buy & control this forum. https://t.co/UObBvw6wDX
— PoliticsGirl (@IAmPoliticsGirl) October 11, 2022
many things we can draw from this. but one of the most important/interesting is that many of America's would be oligarchs are attracted to the Russia strongman/oligarch model. not just the authoritarianism but the role oligarchs play in it. https://t.co/lySoL43lcH
— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) October 11, 2022
As a @Twitter shareholder I’d rather this platform wasn’t sold to a Putin shill, thanks. #ElonMusk https://t.co/8WFWY94Io1
— Greg Olear ?? (@gregolear) October 11, 2022
Elon Musk spoke directly with Putin before tweeting a proposal to end the war in Ukraine that would have seen territory permanently ceded to Russia, in what looks like a direct violation of the Logan Act.
More: https://t.co/DsfAx8y2p9 pic.twitter.com/IUw6QS5MQo
— Amee Vanderpool (@girlsreallyrule) October 11, 2022
Federal, state and local government agencies should IMMEDIATELY END all subsidies, tax rebates or other prices supports for @Tesla. @elonmusk can play his games with Putin’s money. #Ukraine
— Reed Galen (@reedgalen) October 11, 2022
And then Starlink reportedly mysteriously started failing?
Curiouser and curiouser. https://t.co/tAoQF2cZ9o
— Angry Staffer ? (@Angry_Staffer) October 11, 2022
BREAKING NEWS: All Your Suspicions About Elon Musk Appear to Have Been Correct https://t.co/eSHFwENWjo
— Seth Abramson (@SethAbramson) October 11, 2022
Photo 80189983 / Elon Musk © Joe Duffy | Dreamstime.com
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.