(Kyiv) Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, participated in the telephone conversation on Wednesday between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump after the latter’s victory in the American presidential election, an official told AFP on Friday. responsible within the Ukrainian presidency.
Posted at 2:44 p.m.
“I can confirm it,” replied this official, on condition of anonymity, when asked about information from the American media Axios.
Another highly placed Ukrainian source assured AFP that Donald Trump had “passed the phone” to Elon Musk, physically present at his side, who then “briefly” spoke with Mr. Zelensky.
“Trump gave him the phone, they were together somewhere. The president [ukrainien] thanked him for Starlink [le service de liaison satellite qu’Elon Musk a fourni à l’Ukraine, NDLR] “, said this source.
“They spoke briefly. But the main conversation was of course with Trump,” she added.
“Close dialogue”
Still according to this source, Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky “did not really discuss anything substantial, it was a conversation to greet each other”.
PHOTO UKRAINIAN PRESIDENCY, PROVIDED BY AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (left) met with Donald Trump in New York on September 27, 2024.
The Ukrainian president described this telephone exchange as “excellent” and had “agreed to maintain a close dialogue” with Mr. Trump.
Two anonymous sources told the American media Axios that President Zelensky had been reassured by this discussion with Mr. Trump, which lasted around twenty minutes.
During this call, Elon Musk also declared, according to Axios, that he would continue to support Kyiv with its Starlink satellite link service.
Asked on Friday by AFP, before Kyiv’s confirmation of this telephone exchange, Donald Trump’s team refused to confirm the participation in it of the Tesla boss, saying they did not want to comment on “private conversations”.
Fears of Kyiv
The presence of Elon Musk illustrates his close ties with the winner of the American presidential election.
This businessman played an unprecedented role in Donald Trump’s campaign, spending more than $110 million to get him elected.
He also organized a series of campaign rallies in support of the Republican candidacy in the hotly contested state of Pennsylvania.
Elon Musk is expected to join the future administration of Donald Trump but the precise contours of his role have not been revealed.
Very critical of the billions of dollars released for Ukraine, the president-designate promised to end this war even before taking the oath – without ever explaining how.
Kyiv fears that Donald Trump will reduce or even interrupt vital military and economic support provided by the United States to Ukraine since the Russian invasion began in February 2022.
On Thursday, Volodymyr Zelensky rejected the idea of discussing a ceasefire with Russia or making the slightest “concession”, after Moscow ordered the West to negotiate under penalty of “destruction of the Ukrainian population “.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump have separately said they are ready to talk with each other.
