Marta Gichko09:45, 25.10.24

Max and Putin “talk about business, personal matters and geopolitical issues arising amid heightened tensions between Russia and the West.”

American billionaire Elon Musk has been in contact with Russian leader Vladimir Putin since late 2022.

The businessman’s ties to the Russian dictator have been confirmed by several officials in the United States, Europe and Russia, according to a major investigation by The Wall Street Journal . As journalists found out, Max and Putin “talk about business, personal matters and geopolitical issues arising amid heightened tensions between Russia and the West.”

While Musk has publicly noted that he had only one conversation with Putin in 2021, communications with Russian officials continued into 2022, including talks with Kremlin officials like Putin’s first deputy chief of staff Sergei Kiriyenko. The details of those discussions remain unclear.

Musk’s contacts with Russian officials, including Putin himself, have raised concerns among U.S. officials, given that Musk has key agreements with the U.S. government, including the Pentagon and NASA, and access to sensitive information, particularly through the space company SpaceX.

The U.S. government appears to be aware of the contacts between Putin and Musk, but is keeping the information secret. Several White House officials said they were unaware of the talks. The topic is highly sensitive given Musk’s growing involvement in Donald Trump’s campaign and the U.S. presidential election approaching.

Musk did not respond to requests for comment. The billionaire called criticism from some quarters that he has become an apologist for Putin “absurd” and said his companies have “done more to undermine Russia than anyone else.”

One person familiar with the conversations said the government faces a dilemma because it is so dependent on the billionaire’s technology. SpaceX launches vital national security satellites into orbit and is the company NASA relies on to transport astronauts to and from the International Space Station.

“They don’t like it,” the source said, referring to Musk’s contacts with Putin.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Kremlin’s only communication with Musk was a single phone call in which he and Putin discussed “space, as well as current and future technologies.”

He also said that neither Putin nor Kremlin officials have regular conversations with Musk.

“The billionaire’s conversations with Putin and Kremlin officials highlight his growing inclination to move beyond business and into geopolitics. He has met and discussed business with Argentina’s Javier Milei on several occasions, as well as former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, whom he defended in heated online debates,” the newspaper writes.

(c)UNIAN 2024