- Fiona Hill claims that Putin is guiding Elon Musk’s entry into the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
- Russia expert said PoliticoPutin often uses high-profile people as intermediaries.
- Hill said that Putin “plays the egos and big men, gives them a feeling that they can play an important role.”
Elon Musk’s most recent Negotiations for a Peace DealAccording to some reports, Vladimir Putin almost certainly puppeteered Ukraine and Russia. top Russia expert Fiona Hill.
“Putin plays the egos of big men — gives them a sense that they can play a role. Hill explained that they are just direct transmitters for Vladimir Putin’s messages. PoliticoThis week, we noticed that the Tesla billionaire has tipped his hat in an apparent display of Putin’s influence.
This was earlier in the month Musk tweeted a proposal for a peace programHe suggested that the Ukrainian war on terror could be ended. His suggestions were a repetition of Russian demands and Kremlin talk points.
Ian Bremmer was a prominent political analyst who later reported that Musk had a private conversation before he drafted his proposal. — an allegation that Musk denied.
SpaceX founder Mark Zuckerberg’s first venture into war was earlier in the year, when he founded Starlink satellite internet terminals donated to UkraineThe country’s main source of communication during the ongoing battle is the.
Musk has suggested in recent weeks that he is more open to Russia.
Although his October 3 tweets were the most talked about, Musk was already evoking Putin’s desires publicly earlier.
Hill quoted Musk’s appearance at an Aspen conference in September, during which he suggested a similar path forward through the war, encouraging Ukraine to “seek peace” by allowing Crimea — a territory which In 2014, Russia annexed Ukraine — to be recognized as Russian.
Musk also told attendees that Zaporizhzhia, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia areas in Ukraine should all be up for grabs. Russia annexed four Ukrainian territoriesMusk also mentioned the two days after.
Musk suggested that Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Zaporizhia should be up for negotiation in order provide water supplies to Crimea. In a Monday interview with Politico, Hill stated that the two territories control all water supplies to Crimea, which is a dry peninsula without rivers.
“It’s unlikely Elon Tesla knows this.” “This is clearly a message from Putin, the water reference is so specific,” she said to the outlet.
Hill explained that although Musk’s sudden rise as an apparent foreign affairs player may seem odd, it’s really a “classic Putin game.”
She said that Putin does it often to Politico. “He uses prominent people to feel out the political environment and to see how people will react to ideas.”
It’s noteworthy that Putin’s most recent intermediary is Elon Musk — an American tech billionaire — especially given Musk’s reverence throughout Russia.
Hill stated that Musk is a powerful and influential figure.
Insider reached Musk but did not receive a response immediately.
Simon Miles, an assistant professor at Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy and historian of US-Soviet relations, said that Putin is able to manipulate powerful men with huge egos.
He said that a lot of Vladimir Putin’s political success was dependent on his ability to manage highly egotistical gajillionaires in an interview with Insider last week. Russia’s oligarchs.
Hill stated that Musk’s participation in the war was ultimately symbolic of Putin’s attempt to “short-circuit” the diplomatic process.
She added that “He wants his terms to be laid out and seen by how many people will take them up.” “All of this is an effort by the Americans to withdraw from the war and give over Ukraine and Ukrainian territories to Russia.
