Musk calls on Zelenskyy to 'go' as Ukraine leader

Washington: Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to step down on Wednesday, amid rising tensions over Ukraine's strained relationship with the United States. Kyiv has expressed concerns over US support for the conflict, alleging that the US has not warned Russia of incoming missile strikes and has altered Musk's satellite system, which Ukraine uses for communications.

Amid this ongoing conflict, Musk wrote on X, "Time for Zelenskyy to go." Zelenskyy had reached out to Musk, requesting the restoration of Starlink, a satellite communication system designed by Musk's SpaceX company, which has reportedly been slowed down. Musk claimed any disruption was the responsibility of the US government, distinguishing between Starshield, controlled by the US for battlefield communications, and the civilian Starlink system, which Ukraine employs for non-combat purposes.

This dispute unfolds following Zelenskyy's agreement to a diesel-supply deal with Russia, despite US President Donald Trump's announcement of such an agreement. A senior Ukrainian official reported that Washington has threatened to cease providing intelligence on Russian missile launches, a claim denied by Trump. Trump, facing pivotal midterm elections next month and grappling with rising fuel prices, has attributed the supply squeeze to Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries.