Senior Russian security official Dmitry Medvedev poked fun at the explosive war of words between U.S. President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk, offering to mediate peace between the two political allies.
Trump is currently attempting to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine to end Moscow’s invasion. He and Musk, his political ally, fiercely clashed on June 5 over the latter’s attacks on the One Big Beautiful Bill, which would add trillions to the national deficit.
“We are ready to facilitate the conclusion of a peace deal between D and E for a reasonable fee and to accept Starlink shares as payment,” Medvedev, a former president and prime minister of Russia, jokingly posted on X, formerly Twitter.
“Don’t fight, guys!” Medvedev added, including an emoji of a screaming face.
Starlink is the satellite internet company owned by Musk, which Ukraine has utilized for battlefield communications and targeting.
Medvedev is known for his sarcastic and at times biting humor on social media, often with dark undertones. He is currently the deputy chair of the Security Council of the Russian Federation.
Senior Russian security official Dmitry Medvedev attends a rally for the United Russia political party in Volgograd on March 12, 2024.
Senior Russian security official Dmitry Medvedev attends a rally for the United Russia political party in Volgograd on March 12, 2024.
YEKATERINA SHTUKINA/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
Russia ‘Could Provide Asylum’ to Musk
A Russian official said Musk could be offered political asylum in Russia if he wanted it, as Moscow’s politicians seek to capitalize on the Trump tensions with provocative remarks.
Dmitry Novikov, first deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs, made the comments to Russian state news outlet Tass.
“I think that Musk has a completely different game, [so] he will not need any political asylum, although if he did, Russia, of course, could provide it,” Novikov said, in remarks translated from Russian.
Kremlin Reacts to Trump’s ‘Children’ Comment
The Kremlin called its war on Ukraine “an existential issue” in response to remarks by Trump comparing the situation to two children fighting in a park.
Trump had drawn the analogy during an Oval Office meeting with German Chancellor Freidrich Merz, and said that sometimes, you are better off letting children fight for a while before pulling them apart.
“Here, of course, the U.S. president may have his own point of view on what is happening,” Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for the Russian president, said at a press briefing on Friday morning, Interfax reported.
“For us, this is an existential issue, it is a matter of our national interests, a question of our security, the future of us and our children, the future of our country,” Peskov said, in remarks translated from Russian.
Update 6/6/25, 9:40 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.