JUST IN: After Musk’s Denial, Ian Bremmer Claims Musk Did Indeed Say He Spoke to Putin

Political scientist Ian Bremmer hit back at billionaire Elon Musk Tuesday, who claimed Bremmer’s report that Musk directly spoke with Vladimir Putin recently was not true.

Bremmer’s Eurasia Group newsletter sent to subscribers Tuesday reported that Musk spoke “directly” to Putin last week before the Tesla billionaire offered a peace plan to end Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine on Twitter – one which could result in Ukraine giving up a large portion of its territory.

Musk denied the report shortly after the initial story was published.

A Twitter user asked if the report was true and Musk replied, “No, it is not. I have spoken to Putin only once and that was about 18 months ago. The subject matter was space.”

Bremmer commented on Twitter a few hours later, “elon musk told me he had spoken with putin and the kremlin directly about ukraine. he also told me what the kremlin’s red lines were.”

Bremmer added, “i have been writing my weekly newsletter on geopolitics for 24 yrs. i write honestly without fear or favor and this week’s update was no different.”

Musk replied, “Nobody should trust Bremmer.”

Vice’s Mathew Champion first reported on Tuesday that Bremmer’s mailout claimed Musk spoke “directly” to Putin who assured him Russia was “prepared to negotiate” as long as Crimea remained apart of Russia. Championed added that Putin also demanded that “Ukraine accepted a form of permanent neutrality, and Ukraine recognised Russia’s annexation of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.”

Musk then took to Twitter and took a poll offering exactly that:

– Redo elections of annexed regions under UN supervision. Russia leaves if that is will of the people.– Crimea formally part of Russia, as it has been since 1783 (until Khrushchev’s mistake).– Water supply to Crimea assured.– Ukraine remains neutral.

The final result on the Twitter poll, which had over 2.7 million votes, was 59% against Musk’s proposal, 41% in favor.

Bremmer added that Putin raised the spectre of nuclear war with Russia, Champion writes:

According to Bremmer, Musk said Putin told him these goals would be accomplished “no matter what,” including the potential of a nuclear strike if Ukraine invaded Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014. Bremmer wrote that Musk told him that “everything needed to be done to avoid that outcome.”

The Kremlin praised Musk for his peace proposal, which was blasted by Ukrainian officials including Andrik Melnyk, Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany, who replied, “Fuck off is my very diplomatic reply to you.”

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