The US newspaper The Wall Street Journal reports that billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has been in regular contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin since late 2022.
The WSJ report said discussions between the two, confirmed by several current and former US, European and Russian officials, touch on personal topics, business and geopolitical tensions.
It also said Putin asked Musk to avoid activating his Starlink satellite internet service over Taiwan as a favor to Chinese President Xi Jinping, quoting people briefed on the request.
The WSJ said Musk did not respond to requests for comment.
It added that Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov denied that the two had held regular conversations, quoting him as saying the only communication the Kremlin has had with Musk was one telephone call.
The newspaper, describing Musk as a crucial supporter of US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, said the entrepreneur’s dialogue could signal re-engagement with the Russian leader if Trump wins the election.
It noted that the contacts also raise potential national-security concerns among some in the current administration of President Joe Biden.