Moscow, February 14: Tesla CEO Elon Musk has made a controversial claim that Russia President Vladimir Putin would face assassination if he retreats from the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Elon Musk made the remark during a forum on X Spaces, a social media platform owned by him, on Monday. He was joined by several Republican senators and entrepreneurs who opposed a bill that would increase US aid to Ukraine.

As per the SCMP, Musk agreed with Senator Ron Johnson that Putin was unlikely to lose the war and that those who hoped for a Ukrainian victory were “living in a fantasy world.” He also urged Americans to contact their lawmakers and oppose the bill, saying that it would not help Ukraine but only prolong the war. Russian President Vladimir Putin Plans To Double His Troops Along NATO Border.

Musk Mocks Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's Aid Appeals

Musk has previously expressed his scepticism about Ukraine’s chances of winning the war and has mocked the appeals of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for more assistance. He denied being a Putin apologist and said that his companies, especially SpaceX, have done more to undermine Russia than anything else. He cited the example of how SpaceX provided Starlink internet service to Ukraine after Russia invaded it. Tucker Carlson-Vladimir Putin Interview: Former Fox News Host Conservation With Russian President Tops 100 Million Views on X in Less Than 14 Hours.

Elon Musk said he was interested in saving lives on both sides of the war and questioned the wisdom of those who wanted to overthrow Putin. He warned that whoever could take out Vladimir Putin would likely be “even more hardcore than Putin” and not a peacenik.

The Kremlin on Wednesday denied a Reuters report that Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed a ceasefire in Ukraine to the United States via intermediaries. Asked if the Reuters report that Russia had made peace proposals was true, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, "No. It is not true." Russian President Vladimir Putin sent signals to Washington in 2023 in public and privately through intermediaries, including through Moscow's Arab partners in the Middle East, that he was ready to consider a ceasefire in Ukraine, Russian sources told Reuters.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 14, 2024 05:08 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).