Elon Musk has weighed in on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s recent meeting with Donald Trump, after the former U.S. president accused Zelenskyy of “gambling with World War 3.”
The February 28 meeting at the White House sparked intense reactions worldwide, with some defending Zelenskyy and Ukraine, while others aligned with Trump and Vice President JD Vance.
Throughout the discussion, both leaders struggled to take control of the conversation, with Vance interjecting at one point to tell Zelenskyy he should be “thanking” Trump for his efforts to “bring an end” to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
When Zelenskyy attempted to respond, Trump cut in, saying:
“You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people. You’re gambling with World War 3, and what you’re doing is very disrespectful to this country—this country that has backed you far more than a lot of people say they should have.”
The meeting was initially meant to finalize a minerals trade deal between the two nations, but the talks ended with Zelenskyy leaving before signing any agreement.
Musk Claims Zelenskyy “Damaged Himself Severely”
Following the contentious exchange, Musk took to Twitter to voice his opinion, suggesting that Zelenskyy’s White House appearance hurt his credibility.
The billionaire responded to a post by right-wing influencer Benny Johnson, who shared polling data indicating that American trust in Zelenskyy had dropped from 72% to below 48%.
Sharing the post, Musk wrote:
“Zelensky damaged himself severely in the eyes of the public. Just a fact.”
He followed up by referencing a 2022 tweet, where he had proposed a peace plan for Ukraine and Russia. Musk’s plan included:
- Redoing elections in annexed regions under UN supervision, with Russia withdrawing if that was the people’s choice.
- Recognizing Crimea as part of Russia, as it had been since 1783, aside from what Musk called “Khrushchev’s mistake.”
- Guaranteeing water supply to Crimea.
- Ukraine remaining neutral.
On March 2, Musk revisited the proposal, adding:
“What I said over 2 years ago was that Ukraine should seek peace or suffer severe loss of life for no gains. The latter was Zelensky’s choice.
Now, he wants to do that again. This is cruel and inhumane.”
Mixed Reactions to Musk’s Comments
Musk’s remarks have drawn divided reactions from Twitter users, with some supporting his stance while others continue to back Zelenskyy’s leadership amid the ongoing war.
After leaving the White House, Zelenskyy shared a statement, emphasizing Ukraine’s gratitude for American support:
“We are truly thankful for America’s help in saving our people. We want only strong relations with America, and I really hope we will have them.”
