Elon Musk, Ukraine President Zelenskiy in Twitter showdown over billionaire’s Ukraine peace plan

Billionaire Elon Musk on Monday requested Twitter customers to weigh in on a plan to finish Russia’s struggle in Ukraine that drew rapid condemnation from Ukrainians, together with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who responded along with his personal ballot.

“Which @elonmusk do you want extra?,” Zelenskiy tweeted, providing two responses: one who helps Ukraine, one who helps Russia.

Musk, the world’s richest individual, proposed UN-supervised elections in 4 occupied areas that Moscow final week moved to annex after what it known as referendums. The votes have been denounced by Kyiv and Western governments as unlawful and coercive.

“Russia leaves if that’s will of the individuals,” Musk wrote.

The Tesla Inc chief government recommended that Crimea, which Moscow seized in 2014, be formally acknowledged as Russia, that water provide to Crimea be assured and that Ukraine stay impartial. He requested Twitter customers to vote ‘sure’ or ‘no’ on the plan.

“Expensive @elonmusk, when somebody tries to steal the wheels of your Tesla, it does not make them authorized proprietor of the automotive or of the wheels. Despite the fact that they declare each voted in favor of it. Simply saying,” Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nausėda tweeted in response.

Musk, who can also be chief government of SpaceX, adopted up his first tweet with one other ballot: “Let’s do this then: the need of the individuals who stay within the Donbas & Crimea ought to determine whether or not they’re a part of Russia or Ukraine.”

He stated he did not care if his proposal was unpopular, arguing that he did care “that tens of millions of individuals could die needlessly for an primarily equivalent final result.”

“Russia has >3 instances inhabitants of Ukraine, so victory for Ukraine is unlikely in complete struggle. When you care in regards to the individuals of Ukraine, search peace,” he posted on Twitter.

In February, when Ukraine’s web was disrupted following Russia’s invasion, Musk responded to a tweet by a Ukrainian authorities official looking for assist. Musk stated SpaceX’s Starlink satellite tv for pc broadband service was accessible in Ukraine and that SpaceX was sending extra terminals to the nation. 

“SpaceX’s out of pocket value to allow & assist Starlink in Ukraine is ~$80M to date. Our assist for Russia is $0. Clearly, we’re professional Ukraine,” Musk posted on Twitter afterward Monday.

Ukraine’s outspoken outgoing ambassador to Germany, Andriy Melnyk, had a blunt response to Musk’s peace plan. Melnyk himself confronted criticism in July for defending the controversial World Warfare Two Ukrainian nationalist chief Stepan Bandera. 

“Fuck off is my very diplomatic reply to you @elonmusk,” tweeted Melnyk.