A recent report reveals that Russian President Vladimir Putin requested Elon Musk to restrict Starlink access in Taiwan as a favor to China’s Xi Jinping. This information was reported by multiple unnamed officials from the U.S., Europe, and Russia, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Ongoing Communication Between Musk and Putin
According to sources cited in the report, Musk has maintained regular communication with Putin since late 2022, discussing various topics including personal matters, business ventures, and geopolitical issues. This relationship raises concerns for the U.S., especially since Musk’s SpaceX holds substantial defense contracts with the Pentagon and NASA, totaling $3.6 billion and $11.8 billion, respectively.
Kremlin’s Request Regarding Starlink
The request for Musk to refrain from activating Starlink over Taiwan reportedly came in late 2023. A former Russian intelligence officer indicated that this request was made in consideration of Beijing’s interests, as Moscow increasingly relies on trade with China. However, it remains unclear how many times Putin or his administration made such requests.
Taiwan’s Satellite Access Challenges
Taiwan currently lacks official Starlink access due to local laws requiring satellite services to be provided through a joint venture with a Taiwanese operator. SpaceX has reportedly been unwilling to enter such an arrangement, leading Taiwan to pursue its own low-earth orbit satellite network, as reported by The New York Times.
Shift in Musk’s Stance on Ukraine
Musk’s interactions with Putin appear to coincide with a notable change in his rhetoric regarding Ukraine. Previously, Musk had been a vocal supporter of Kyiv, providing 15,000 Starlink terminals. However, by October 2022, he sought funding from the Pentagon for these services, citing financial strains. Around the same time, he tweeted a controversial peace plan that included conditions reflecting some of Russia’s demands, which drew backlash from pro-Ukrainian supporters.
Controversial Peace Proposal
In response to criticism, Musk maintained that his proposals aimed to prevent further loss of life in Ukraine and mitigate the risk of nuclear conflict. He stated, “Obviously, we are pro-Ukraine,” adding that SpaceX had spent around $80 million on free Starlink services for the country.
Political scientist Ian Bremmer later claimed that Musk had spoken with Putin prior to his peace plan tweet, asserting that Putin warned Musk of potential “major escalation” if his goals in Ukraine were not met. Musk later refuted this, claiming his only conversation with Putin was 18 months prior, focused solely on space matters.
Kremlin’s Official Stance
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the only communication between Musk and Putin revolved around space and future technologies. However, the Kremlin did not respond to requests for further comment regarding Musk’s ongoing interactions.
Musk’s Political Engagement
As Musk continues to engage in the political sphere, it remains to be seen how his reported discussions with Putin will affect his relationship with former President Donald Trump, whom he has publicly endorsed. Trump’s campaign representatives have praised Musk as a transformative leader, emphasizing that under Trump, there would be a stronger deterrence against Russia’s actions.
With election day approaching, Musk has been actively supporting Republican candidates and has contributed at least $75 million to a super PAC backing Trump, who has expressed intentions to facilitate a swift resolution to the Ukraine conflict if re-elected.
(Includes inputs from online sources)
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