Musk talks with Putin for two years and undercover... "Intervention in international affairs under the pretext of Starlink"

Photo Source: Yonhap News

Tesla Inc TSLA CEO Elon Musk has reportedly been secretly communicating with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the past two years.

Some point out that if Musk, who also exerts influence in international politics by using SpaceX's satellite Internet service "Starlink," had a secret conversation with Putin, it would be a threat to U.S. security.

Citing current and former officials in the U.S., Europe and Russia, the Wall Street Journal reported on the 24th local time that Musk and Putin have communicated regularly since the end of 2022.

The two are said to have discussed international politics as well as business and private areas.

In particular, President Putin reportedly even asked Musk late last year not to provide Starlink services for Taiwan.

This was a request for Chinese President Xi Jinping, who set up a scenario for unifying Taiwan by force.

It seems to be the intention not to help Taiwan with the Starlink service in the future because general Internet access is virtually impossible except for Starlink in the war-torn region.

Musk has built friendships with former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who was dubbed "Brazil's Trump," and with Argentine President Javier Milay, nicknamed "Argentina's Trump."

However, this is the first time it has been known that Musk and Putin have communicated for a long time.

Musk has long been known to have a great interest in space development programs in Russia and the former Soviet Union.

Walter Isaacson, who wrote a biography of Musk, said he visited Moscow in 2002 and negotiated to purchase Russian rockets.

At the time, Musk was so drunk that he lost his mind at lunch with vodka.

It has not been confirmed why Musk and Putin first talked.

However, Musk mentioned that he had "talked to President Putin" during a space-themed conversation at X in October 2022.

The Wall Street Journal noted that 2022, when Musk and Putin began communicating, was a time when Russia complained strongly about Musk because of the war in Ukraine.

At the time, Russia publicly raised the issue with Musk, saying Starlink was being serviced by Ukraine's Azou Regiment.

The Azou Regiment has drawn attention for its three-month battle against the Russian offensive in the southeastern Ukrainian port city of Mariupol in 2022, shortly after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Sources say that at the time, the Russian government made a blatant threat not only to Musk's business but also to Musk.

Musk has since begun to take a favorable stance on Russia over the war in Ukraine, publicly criticizing the U.S. government for providing weapons aid to Ukraine.

It is also reported that Ukrainian forces cut off Starlink access when they tried to target Russia-occupied Crimea.

On the other hand, Ukraine claims that Russian forces, which had no Internet access, have recently been accessing Starlink through third parties.

Some people are also concerned about Musk's friendship with Putin.

The fact that Musk, who has access to U.S. government secrets under NASA's SpaceX contract with the Pentagon, is secretly talking to the head of his adversary is a threat to his security.

Musk, who is supporting former President Donald Trump in all directions in the U.S. presidential election, which is 10 days away, is even mentioned as the possibility of joining the Cabinet if former President Trump is elected.