Elon Musk has launched a scathing attack on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, accusing Kyiv of operating as a “massive graft machine feeding off the dead bodies of Ukrainian soldiers.” The tech billionaire and close ally of Donald Trump also claimed that Zelensky was “despised” by his people and echoed Trump’s calls for elections in Ukraine.
Musk, writing on his social media platform X, alleged that Zelensky had cancelled elections to avoid a landslide defeat. “If Zelensky was actually loved by the people of Ukraine, he would hold an election. He knows he would lose in a landslide. So he cancelled the election,” Musk wrote.
He continued: “In reality, he is despised by the people of Ukraine, which is why he has refused to hold an election. I challenge Zelensky to hold an election and refute this. He will not. President Trump is right to ignore him and solve for peace independent of the disgusting, massive graft machine feeding off the dead bodies of Ukrainian soldiers.”
US-Ukraine tensions escalate
Musk’s remarks come as tensions between Washington and Kyiv continue to grow over how to end the war with Russia. Despite repeated Ukrainian calls for unwavering US support, the Trump campaign has been critical of Zelensky’s approach to negotiations.
Earlier this week, Trump described Zelensky as a “dictator,” sparking outrage in Kyiv. In response, the White House accused the Ukrainian president of “insulting” his American counterpart, leading to the abrupt cancellation of a planned joint press conference in Kyiv.
Zelensky had been scheduled to address the media alongside retired US General Keith Kellogg, Trump’s Ukraine envoy, following their private discussions. However, Zelensky’s spokesman later confirmed that while the meeting had taken place, the press conference had been called off at the request of the US delegation.
Meanwhile, US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz defended Trump’s criticism of Zelensky, arguing that Kyiv had placed roadblocks in the way of diplomatic efforts. “There’s some of the rhetoric coming out of Kyiv, frankly, and insults to President Trump (that) were unacceptable,” Waltz said.
Adding to the controversy, reports suggest that Ukraine recently rejected a deal that would have granted the US control over key Ukrainian mineral resources in exchange for security guarantees. This refusal is believed to have exacerbated frustrations in Washington.
US-Russia talks sideline Ukraine
The growing rift between the US and Ukraine has played out against the backdrop of direct talks between American and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia this week—negotiations that notably did not include Ukrainian representatives.
Speaking after the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting in Johannesburg, Foreign Secretary David Lammy cast doubt on Moscow’s willingness to engage in meaningful peace negotiations. “We’ve not got anywhere near a negotiated settlement, and I have to say when I listened to what the Russians and what (Russian Foreign Minister Sergei) Lavrov has just said in the chamber this afternoon, I don’t see an appetite to really get to that peace,” Lammy said.
Both Lammy and Lavrov delivered speeches during a behind-closed-doors session in Johannesburg. While Lavrov’s remarks have not been publicly disclosed, reports suggest that he boycotted Lammy’s speech entirely.
In his published remarks, Lammy accused Moscow of spreading “tired fabrications” and called on Russia to abandon its “tsarist imperialism.”
Starmer faces diplomatic dilemma
The intensifying US-Ukraine dispute presents a diplomatic challenge for British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who is due to travel to Washington next week for talks with Trump.
Starmer has reaffirmed his commitment to supporting Ukraine, holding a phone call with Zelensky earlier this week following Trump’s “dictator” comments. He emphasised that Ukraine must be included in any negotiations aimed at securing peace.
However, Starmer has also stressed the need for a US-backed security arrangement to deter further Russian aggression, which he is expected to discuss with Trump. The UK is keen to ensure that European nations play a greater role in their own defence, particularly in light of Washington’s shifting stance on Ukraine.
Former Chief of the British Armed Forces, General Sir Nick Carter, suggested that the UK may need to step in with security guarantees for Ukraine if US backing weakens. “It is ultimately up to Ukraine to decide what a fair settlement means,” Sir Nick told the BBC.
He added that European nations must “step up to the plate” and commit to safeguarding Ukraine’s sovereignty, even if the US does not.
Musk’s political stunt with argentina’s milei
In a bizarre twist to an already dramatic week, Musk made headlines once again when Argentina’s President Javier Milei gifted him a chainsaw during the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington DC on Thursday.
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Musk, who has been tasked by Trump with finding efficiency savings across the US government, brandished the chainsaw on stage, calling it the “chainsaw for bureaucracy.” The power tool was engraved with “Viva la libertad, carajo”—Spanish for “Long live liberty, damn it.”
Milei, known for his hardline libertarian policies, famously wielded a chainsaw during his 2023 presidential campaign as a symbol of his commitment to cutting Argentina’s bloated state budget. The stunt appeared to reinforce Musk’s growing influence in right-wing political circles, particularly within Trump’s campaign.
A growing divide
As the war in Ukraine drags on, the deepening divide between Kyiv and Washington signals a shift in geopolitical dynamics. While the UK remains a staunch ally of Ukraine, Musk’s latest remarks, coupled with Trump’s increasing reluctance to engage with Zelensky, suggest that Ukraine may struggle to maintain the level of Western support it once enjoyed.
With the US and Russia now engaging in preliminary talks without Ukraine, and European leaders questioning their role in securing peace, Zelensky faces mounting pressure to defend his leadership on both the battlefield and the political stage. Whether he will take up Musk’s challenge to hold elections remains to be seen—but for now, the rift between the West and Kyiv appears to be widening.
