'Putin can't afford me': Musk hits back at criticism over Ukraine talks

Amid ongoing criticism over the pro-Russia stance of US President Donald Trump on the war in Ukraine, Elon Musk dismissed allegations of being influenced by Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying that “Putin can’t afford me.”

“People say, like, I’m a bought asset of Putin. I’m like, He can’t afford me,” Musk said.

However, Musk said, “We should have empathy for those on the front lines of the war. How many more years is this supposed to go on? What exactly are they dying for?”

He emphasised that the soldiers at the front are being “fed into a meat grinder for money” and insisted that “it needs to stop.”

Musk calls Zelenskyy ‘despised dictator’

Recently, Doge chief Musk has expressed support for President Donald Trump’s approach to US-Russia peace talks concerning the ongoing war in Ukraine. Musk took a dig at Zelenskyy, referring to him as a “despised dictator” and accusing him of avoiding elections due to unpopularity. He described Kyiv as a “massive graft machine.”

US, Russia talks in Riyadh

United States and Russian officials met in Saudi Arabia to mediate peace in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Whereas, Kyiv and Europe were not involved in the discussions.

The statement came amid a war of words between Trump and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy.

On Ukraine being sidelined in the talks, Zelenskyy said US President Trump was “living in a disinformation space” governed by Moscow.

‘Zelenskyy is dictator’: Trump

Trump has attacked Zelenskyy, calling him a “dictator without elections.” He has also alleged that Ukraine is prolonging the conflict for personal gain.

European leaders and many US lawmakers have strongly disagreed with the Trump administration’s stance on the war.

The war started three years ago this month when Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.