The billionaire referenced Senator Chris Murphy’s acknowledgment of Washington’s role in the 2014 “regime change.”
Elon Musk has stated that many Americans have forgotten the U.S.’s involvement in the 2014 overthrow of the Ukrainian government, which led to years of instability in the country.
On Monday, Musk commented on a video clip of U.S. Senator Chris Murphy discussing Washington’s involvement during the 2013-2014 Maidan protests in Kiev, which resulted in the removal of then-President Viktor Yanukovich.
In the video, the Democrat admitted that the U.S. was actively involved during the unrest. Murphy also recalled that top U.S. lawmakers and officials attended the protests on the Maidan square and that “we have been very much involved.”
He further explained that “the Obama administration passed sanctions [against Ukrainian officials]… I really think that the clear position of the United States has in part been what has helped lead to this change in regime.”
Murphy also pointed out that the U.S. had a significant economic interest in Ukraine’s shift towards the West, which was the protesters’ main objective. He explained that “If Ukraine is part of the European Union and thus is part of this new trade agreement with the United States, that could result in billions of dollars in new economic opportunities for the US,” adding “We shouldn’t be shy about making clear that interest.”
Musk responded to the clip on X, stating: “Still very few people know about this.”
In February 2023, Musk suggested there was “no question that there was indeed a coup” in Kiev in 2014.
The remarks from the Tesla and X owner follow a tense exchange between Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky and Trump at the White House. Trump accused Zelensky of being ungrateful for U.S. aid and unwilling to seek peace with Russia. After this disagreement, which also stalled a highly anticipated U.S.-Ukraine mineral resource agreement, Musk proposed that Zelensky could retire to a neutral country and be granted “amnesty” in exchange for “a peaceful transition back to democracy in Ukraine.”
Zelensky’s presidential term expired last spring, but he has declined to hold new elections, citing martial law. Russia has labeled him “illegitimate,” asserting that power in Ukraine now resides with the parliament. Last month, Trump called Zelensky a “dictator without elections,” but later seemed to retract that statement.
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