Elon Musk and Donald Trump: What their growing ties mean for Ukraine

A gathering of tech magnates, honoured by Donald Trump for their scientific achievements last week. Elon Musk had fallen out with Donald Trump in the summer of 2025, but in recent months the multi-billionaire has once again drawn closer to the presidential administration, invited last September to a state dinner held in honour of the Chinese president, and recently entrusted with identifying the technologies and weapons of the future by the Pentagon and the world's richest man knows how to show his gratitude on Monday the New York Times revealed the total amount of his donations since July to the Republican camp ahead of midterm elections over 276 million dollars a generosity very much in line with his own interests the businesses of his space company SpaceX relies largely on government contracts and is securing a growing number of multi-billion dollar contracts with the Pentagon and NASA last week the press revealed that the president's trust bought five million dollars worth of SpaceX shares in August two days before lifting restrictions on commercial space transport it's against this backdrop that Musk's Starlink satellite network has been restricted weakening Ukraine's ability to communicate on the battlefield a severe blow that came after a post by Elon Musk on X The billionaire said it was time for Ukraine to have a new leader, echoing a similar call made by Donald Trump.