A tweet from Tesla CEO Elon Musk has sparked controversy with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after Musk suggested a solution to the ongoing war between Moscow and Kyiv. In his tweet on his official Twitter account, Musk proposed a survey on possible solutions to end the war in Ukraine, including Kyiv officially recognizing Crimea as part of Russia. Among the options mentioned by Musk in his tweet were conducting elections in the recently annexed regions under United Nations supervision, with Russia agreeing to withdraw if the results contradict Moscow's claims. He also suggested that Kyiv recognize Crimea as Russian territory, ensure water supplies to it, and maintain Ukraine as a "neutral state." At the end of his post, Musk asked his followers to vote on his plan with a yes or no, as reported by The Guardian.
Musk's tweet triggered widespread controversy and anger among Ukrainians, prompting a response from President Zelensky. Following Musk's lead, the Ukrainian president posted a survey on Twitter with two options: Which do you prefer more: Elon Musk, the supporter of Ukraine, or the supporter of Russia?
Ukrainian presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak commented on Musk's survey, saying, "I have a better peace plan, under which Ukraine restores its territories, including Crimea, disarms Russia, and holds Russian war criminals accountable internationally." Meanwhile, Ukraine's outgoing ambassador to Germany, Andriy Melnyk, responded with a single word: "Damn." For his part, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda stated, "When someone steals the wheels of your Tesla, it doesn’t make them the legal owner." Musk continued to respond to comments criticizing his survey, stating that he does not care whether his suggestions are popular; what matters to him is preventing the needless deaths of millions.
