Elon Musk has criticized Kiev's position on the Russian diesel deal and supported US President Donald Trump's pressure on Ukraine to stop strikes on Russian oil refineries. The SpaceX founder described the actions of the Ukrainian leadership as excessive, and in a separate comment said that the country needs to find a new leader.
“Zelensky has gone too far“, Musk wrote on the social network X, commenting on a post with a statement by Trump. In another post, he agreed with the US president that “it's time for Ukraine to find a new leader“.
His comments were made against the backdrop of a dispute over Russian diesel fuel supplies. Trump said that Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries are creating problems for the global market and contributing to a shortage of diesel. The American president insisted that Kiev not attack facilities related to fuel production.
Kiev's criticism of the deal
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the agreement between Washington and Moscow as unfair and unpartnering. He said that allowing Russian diesel exports would bring revenue to the Kremlin and called it an “investment in war“.
Gifts for Putin will not bring peace. Russia will repay the diesel with new terror and meanness.Zelensky indicated that Ukraine is ready to stop attacks on Russian refineries, but only if Moscow stops attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure. According to him, the de-escalation should be mutual, not unilateral.
The US administration announced that Russia would initially deliver 300,000 tons of diesel, another 500,000 tons in November and 1 million tons subsequently. The US Treasury Department issued a temporary license for operations with Russian fuel, which is valid until April 7, 2027.
Cernovich's publication
Musk also commented on a publication by American blogger Mike Cernovich, who presented Kiev's reaction as ingratitude to the United States. This thesis fits into the broader criticism from American conservative circles of the Ukrainian leadership for its refusal to unilaterally stop attacks on Russian energy.
However, Kiev maintains that the attacks on Russian refineries are a response to ongoing Russian attacks on Ukrainian power plants and other critical infrastructure. There is no confirmed agreement between Russia and Ukraine to mutually cease attacks on energy facilities.
Sources: amp.dw.com, apnews.com, axios.com