Podolyak: Musk's suggestion to 'surrender Ukraine' is 'catastrophic mistake'

Elon Musk's suggestion that a ceasefire in Ukraine on terms favorable to Russia would prevent further war is a "catastrophic mistake," said advisor to Ukraine's Presidential Office Mykhailo Podolyak on Oct. 24.

Musk had suggested earlier on Oct. 24 in a discussion on Twitter spaces that the U.S. was "sleepwalking" into World War III and that it should seek to normalize relations with Russia, which he suggested could happen if the U.S. pressures Ukraine into a ceasefire.

Later in the discussion, Musk was joined by U.S. presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who proposed giving away Ukrainian territory to Russia in exchange for peace.

Musk appeared to agree and also denied that a pro-Ukrainian insurgency was happening in Russian-speaking areas, implying that the current line of control might be a good permanent dividing line.

Podolyak posted a lengthy response refuting Musk's argument, writing that surrendering Ukraine to "mandatory large-scale genocide" from Russia will have far-reaching consequences.

Appeasement will only embolden other international aggressors, he said, and the "great war" that Musk predicted will be even more likely.

Podolyak has previously reacted strongly to Musk's controversial public statements about the war in Ukraine.

After Musk shared an insulting doctored meme of President Volodymyr Zelensky on Oct. 2, insinuating that Zelensky asks for too much aid for Ukraine, Podolyak responded on Twitter.

"Any silence or irony towards Ukraine today is a direct encouragement of Russian propaganda that justifies mass violence and destruction," he said.

Musk has had an inconsistent track record in regards to supporting Ukraine. He received praise for providing Ukraine with the Starlink satellite internet system shortly after the beginning of the full-scale invasion.

However, he came under fire in September 2023 for allegedly instructing his engineers to secretly turn off Starlink satellite communications near Crimea to prevent a Ukrainian submarine drone attack against Russian military ships.

Musk denied the accusations, saying that Starlink satellite communications had not been active near Crimea in the first place.

Musk has also previously suggested that Ukraine should trade land for peace.

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