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WAR IN EUROPE

Ukraine presidential aide warns against Musk's 'magical simple solutions'

A top Ukrainian presidential aide criticised Twitter owner Elon Musk on Sunday for the billionaire's 'magical simple solutions', citing ideas put forward by Musk on Russia's invasion of Ukraine and Twitter content moderation.
Reuters
Elon Musk Speaks At Satellite Conference In Washington, DC Business magnate Elon Musk. (Photo: Getty Images)

Mykhailo Podolyak listed "exchang(ing) foreign territories for an illusory peace" and "open(ing) all private accounts because freedom of speech has to be total", as examples of such suggestions.

“[Elon Musk] prefers so-called magical simple solutions," Podolyak wrote on Twitter, an apparent reference to self-described free speech advocate Musk's plans to reform Twitter, which he took over on October 27, as well as a tweet in which he called for Ukraine to give up the Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula in exchange for peace.

Twitter representatives did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Ukraine has had a complicated relationship with Musk, the world's richest man, since the start of the Russian invasion on February 24.

He was praised in the war's early days for providing thousands of Starlink satellite internet devices, made by Musk's SpaceX, to Ukraine free of charge, but the friendship ran into difficulties in October when Musk voiced support for peace conditions rejected by Kyiv.

The billionaire called for Crimea, annexed by Moscow in 2014, to be declared formally part of Russia, and for UN-supervised referendums on whether Russia should stay or leave to be held in other occupied territories.

The tweet drew angry rebukes from Ukrainian officials, including Podolyak. Kyiv has repeatedly dismissed the idea that it will give up land for peace.

Soon after this dispute, Musk publicly complained about the cost of providing free Starlink services to Ukraine indefinitely. He said in October that only 10,630 of 25,300 Starlinks sent to Ukraine were actually paying for service.

Kyiv has acknowledged that "some" terminals are being provided free but has not given exact figures.

In a change of tone, Musk said on October 15 that the company would continue to run Ukraine's free Starlinks.

(Reporting by Max Hunder; Editing by David Holmes.)

 

 

Comments

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Andrew Johnson 5 December 2022 08:25 AM

Musk is speaking commonsense. Ukraine can only continue this ego trip by draining the West of cash.

Matsobane Monama 5 December 2022 11:16 PM

Common sense is NOT Common to everybody. Elon is a Realistic Man. The manner in which they arrogantly responded to Elon's suggested Peace Plan showed how ungrateful Zelenky and his henchmen are. Winning this war with freebies is a FANTASY.

Johann 6 December 2022 07:05 AM

I read these posts in astonishment. Russia has aggressively and brutally invaded a neighbour. Now, to make peace, the aggrieved neighbour must fall in line with the demands of the invader? It's the kind of nonsense 'Peace in out time' Chamberlain rambled on about to Hitler's delight. The West will continue to give Ukraine all the 'cash' it needs. Fortunately, the realists in governments of the West understand the true nature of Putin, and they have the means. Elon is a genius in the Howard Hughes mode. Not exactly someone to follow.