New York – Elon Musk, the outspoken CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, shared his controversial views on the ongoing war in Ukraine during a forum with Republican senators on Monday. Speaking on his new social media platform X, Musk told the lawmakers that Russian President Vladimir Putin could not afford to lose the war, predicting he would be assassinated if he backed down.
The billionaire tech mogul was discussing a $95 billion Senate bill that would provide further military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine as it defends against Russia’s full-scale invasion. Musk urged the senators, including Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, JD Vance of Ohio and Mike Lee of Utah, to vote against the measure.
“We gotta kill this thing,” said Vance, referring to the aid package. Musk agreed, arguing that prolonging the war would not help Ukraine.
Musk has previously criticized Ukraine’s pleas for more Western weaponry, mocking President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Twitter. His isolationist stance has drawn backlash from Democrats and some Republicans, who contend that supporting Ukraine’s defense is in America’s national security interests.
But Musk defended himself against accusations of being a “Putin apologist,” citing his companies’ efforts to bolster Ukraine’s communications infrastructure and erode Russia’s space launch business. Specifically, Musk said SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service has been a “critical” resource for Ukraine.
Still, he expressed doubt about Ukraine’s chances of defeating Russia’s onslaught. There is no way in hell that Putin could lose,” Musk told the senators, agreeing with Ron Johnson’s view that hopes for a Ukrainian victory are unrealistic.
Musk argued that domestic political pressures made it impossible for Putin to accept anything short of total triumph. “If he were to back off, he would be assassinated,” Musk predicted.
The tech entrepreneur also warned against seeking regime change in Moscow, saying any successor to Putin would likely be “even more hardcore.
Musk’s views put him at odds with both President Joe Biden and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. The two have maintained that ensuring Russia’s defeat in Ukraine is vital for protecting democracy and deterring future wars of aggression.
The Senate continued debate over the aid package late into Monday night, with passage expected despite opposition from some Republicans aligned with former President Donald Trump’s “America First” foreign policy vision.
But House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has threatened to block the legislation unless tougher border security measures are approved first. With Republicans newly in control of the House, McCarthy’s demands could stymie efforts to swiftly deliver new military funding to Kyiv.
Since Russia’s invasion began nearly two years ago, the United States has provided over $100 billion in various forms of assistance to Ukraine’s defense. But Musk urged a rethinking of that open-ended commitment, arguing that a pragmatic negotiated solution was needed to stop the bloodshed.
For those who want regime change in Russia, they should think about who is the person that could take out Putin, and is that person likely to be a peacenik?” Musk said. “Probably not.”
While Musk’s views have drawn heavy criticism, his companies SpaceX and Tesla have taken concrete steps to counter the Russian war effort. In addition to providing Starlink service to Ukraine, SpaceX has captured lucrative launch contracts that might otherwise have gone to Russia’s space industry.
And Tesla’s electric vehicles are helping reduce demand for Russian oil and gas exports that fund Moscow’s war chest. Musk maintains that these actions show he is no ally of Putin, regardless of his outspoken opposition to long-term military aid for Ukraine.
