Billionaire entrepreneur and political influencer Elon Musk has voiced his support for the upcoming US-Russia talks set to take place in Saudi Arabia, calling it an example of “competent leadership.” The statement, made on X (formerly Twitter), comes as a delegation led by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrives in Riyadh for the first direct negotiations between Moscow and Washington since the onset of the Ukraine conflict in 2022.

Musk, an ally of President Donald Trump, shared a video clip from Russian journalist Yevgeny Popov, in which Yury Ushakov, a top foreign policy aide to President Vladimir Putin, was asked about the tone of the discussions ahead. Ushakov replied, “We will see. The most important thing right now is to begin a real normalization of relations between us and Washington.”

Elon Musk, who in 2022 provided 20,000 Starlink internet terminals to Ukraine to maintain communications amid the war, has since been vocal about his concerns regarding further escalation of the conflict. In 2023, he warned, “We are sleepwalking our way into World War III with one foolish decision after the other,” urging diplomatic efforts to prevent catastrophic global consequences.

Musk has taken a stance against continued unconditional military aid to Ukraine, aligning with sentiments expressed by President Trump, who has consistently criticized the Biden administration’s approach to the war. While the current administration has pursued a strategy of isolating Russia through sanctions and military aid to Kyiv, Trump........

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