Tech billionaireElon Muskand Russian PresidentVladimir Putinhave been regularly contacting each over the last two years, theWall Street Journalreported on Thursday night.
The topics of discussion have included personal matters, business, and geopolitical issues, according to current and former United States, European, and Russian officials.
Among many of the deeply concerning revelations inWSJs report include a request from Putin made last year asking Musk to not activate his Starlink satellite internet service over Taiwan as a favor to Chinas top leader, Xi Jinping.Russiaheavily relieson China for trade, including industrial equipment and consumer goods, and to weather Western sanctions.
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Musk faced further tensions from the Kremlin in 2022, following his strong public support for Kyiv after the Russian invasion in February that year.
Musk donated several hundred Starlink terminals to Ukraine, providing free internet access by July to large areas of the country devastated by the Russian attacks.
However, by May 2022, Russias space chief said in a Telegram post that the tech billionaire would answer like an adult for providing Starlink to Ukraines Azov battalion.
Later that year, a person familiar with the conversations said that Musk was communicating regularly with high-level Russians and that the Kremlin had put pressure on his businesses and made implicit threats against him.
Around this time, Musk became more critical of American aid to Ukraine and blamed the terminals in Ukraine for why SpaceX was losing money.
By October 2022, Musk reached out to his followers on X to support a peace agenda that mirrored some aspects of the Kremlins offer to Ukraine at the time.
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Theres no stopping Elon Musk, hes going to do what he thinks he needs to do, Putin told Carlson.
you should probably find some common ground with him, you should probably search for some ways to persuade him.
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One current and one former intelligence source toldWSJthat Musk and Putin have continued to stay in contact.
The report is concerning given that Musk, the worlds richest man, has become one of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trumpskey supporters and sources of cashin the 2024 election.
Musk has recently come under the scrutiny of the U.S Justice Department after offering payouts and a chance at $1 million to registered voters who get other registered, swing state residents to sign a Petition in Favor of Free Speech and the Right to Bear Arms.
The Department of Justices Public Integrity Section, which overlooks federal election laws, sent a letter to Musk warning that his million-dollar sweepstakes for registered votersmay be illegal.
