David Bridges
Topline
Tesla CEO Elon Musk engaged in odd banter with former Russian President and close Putin ally Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday night with the billionaire appearing to praise a joke made by the Kremlin insider— an exchange that may further annoy Ukrainian officials who have criticized Musk’s recent Russia-friendly statements.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk engaged in Twitter banter with former Russian President and close Putin ally … [+]
Key Facts
After U.K. Prime Minister Liz Truss announced her resignation on Thursday, Medvedev tweeted “Bye, bye [Liz Truss], congrats to lettuce,” referencing an elaborate online joke by British tabloid the Daily Star about a head of lettuce outlasting Truss’ premiership.
Musk appeared to praise Medvedev’s humor tweeting, “Pretty good troll tbh.”
Musk then asked Medvedev how things were going in Bakhmut, a city in eastern Ukraine that has witnessed brutal fighting as Ukrainian forces try to hold off a Russian advance.
Medvedev simply responded, “See you in Moscow on…Victory Day!”
Key Background
Musk has come under criticism from Ukrainian officials in recent weeks after tweeting out a proposal for peace between Russia and Ukraine. Leaders in Kyiv, including Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, have criticized Musk’s plan and have accused him of parroting Moscow’s agenda. In his unsolicited proposal Musk suggested Ukraine should agree to remain a neutral state and formally recognize Crimea as part of Russian territory despite the peninsula being illegally annexed by Moscow in 2014. On Crimea, Musk repeated claims made by Putin and his allies that Crimea has formally been part of Russia since 1783, and making it a part of Ukraine was a mistake by former Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev. Musk also proposed that Ukraine should agree to a U.N.-run referendum in the four occupied Ukrainian provinces where people should be allowed to vote to join Russia. More recently Musk has gone back and forth on withdrawing his Starlink satellite internet service from Ukraine. The service has served as a critical communications tool for Ukrainian forces, but Musk was reportedly threatening to cut off access to Ukraine unless the Pentagon agreed to pay for it. He eventually backtracked, tweeting: “we’ll just keep funding Ukraine govt for free.”
Tangent
On Thursday night, Bloomberg reported Musk’s planned acquisition of Twitter and his Starlink service may have to face a national security review. Biden administration officials are reportedly concerned about Musk’s recent Russia-friendly statements and threat to cut off Ukraine’s Starlink access. Musk’s drama-filled deal to buy Twitter for $44 billion is also drawing scrutiny due to the involvement of several foreign investors including a Saudi Prince and the Qatari government’s sovereign fund.
Further Reading
Musk’s Twitter Deal And Starlink May Face National Security Review, Report Says (Forbes)
Musk Plans To Cut 75% Of Twitter Workforce, Report Says (Forbes)
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