Billionaire Elon Musk asked Twitter users on Monday to vote on a plan to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, prompting an outpouring of condemnation from Ukrainians, including President Volodymyr Zelensky, who responded with his own poll.
“Which @elonmusk do you like more?” Zelensky tweeted, offering two responses: one who supports Ukraine, and one who supports Russia.
Which @elonmusk do you like more?
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) October 3, 2022
Musk, the world’s richest person, proposed UN-supervised elections in four occupied territories that Moscow moved to annex last week following what it called referendums. Kyiv and Western governments condemned the votes as illegal and coercive.
“Russia leaves if that is the will of the people,” Musk wrote.
The Tesla Inc chief executive suggested that Crimea, which Moscow seized in 2014, be formally recognized as Russia, that water supply to Crimea is assured and that Ukraine remains neutral. He asked Twitter users to vote ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on the plan.
“Dear @elonmusk, when someone tries to steal the wheels of your Tesla, it doesn’t make them the legal owner of the car or of the wheels. Even though they claim both voted in favor of it. Just saying,” Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nausėda tweeted in response.
Musk, who is also chief executive of SpaceX, followed up his first tweet with another poll: “Let’s try this then: the will of the people who live in the Donbas & Crimea should decide whether they’re part of Russia or Ukraine.”
Let’s try this then: the will of the people who live in the Donbas & Crimea should decide whether they’re part of Russia or Ukraine
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 3, 2022
He said he didn’t care if his proposal was unpopular, arguing that he did care “that millions of people may die needlessly for an essentially identical outcome.”
“Russia has >3 times the population of Ukraine, so victory for Ukraine is unlikely in total war. If you care about the people of Ukraine, seek peace,” he posted on Twitter.
You are assuming that I wish to be popular. I don’t care.
I do care that millions of people may die needlessly for an essentially identical outcome.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 3, 2022
Musk responded to a tweet from a Ukrainian government official seeking assistance in February when the internet in Ukraine was disrupted as a result of Russia’s invasion. Musk stated that SpaceX’s Starlink satellite broadband service is now available in Ukraine and that the company is sending more terminals there.
Andriy Melnyk, Ukraine’s outspoken outgoing ambassador to Germany, had a blunt reaction to Musk’s peace plan. In July, Melnyk was chastised for defending World War II Ukrainian nationalist leader Stepan Bandera.
