US BILLIONAIRE ELON Musk was embroiled in a social media spat with Ukrainian officials including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday over his ideas on ending Russia’s invasion.

Musk sparked the controversy on Twitter by proposing a peace deal involving re-running under UN supervision annexation referendums in Moscow-occupied Ukrainian regions, acknowledging Russian sovereignty over the Crimean peninsula and giving Ukraine a neutral status.

The Tesla and SpaceX founder created a poll to let his more than 107 million followers vote on the idea.

Ukraine-Russia Peace:

- Redo elections of annexed regions under UN supervision. Russia leaves if that is will of the people.

- Crimea formally part of Russia, as it has been since 1783 (until Khrushchev’s mistake).

- Water supply to Crimea assured.

- Ukraine remains neutral.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 3, 2022

Zelenskyy responded with a Twitter poll of his own, asking: “Which @elonmusk do you like more?” with the options “One who supports Ukraine” and “One who supports Russia”.

Which @elonmusk do you like more?

— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) October 3, 2022

Kyiv’s ambassador to Germany Andriy Melnyk replied bluntly: “My very diplomatic response (to Musk) is to get lost.”

Melnyk added that “the only outcome is that now no Ukrainian will EVER buy your tesla crap”. 

The only outcome ist that now no Ukrainian will EVER buy your f…ing tesla crap. So good luck to you .@elonmusk

— Andrij Melnyk (@MelnykAndrij) October 3, 2022

Ukrainian presidential aide Mykhaylo Podolyak suggested a “better peace plan” under which Ukraine took back its territories including Crimea, Russia was demilitarised and denuclearised and “war criminals” faced an international tribunal.

Musk later said Moscow could announce a full mobilisation, leading to a “full war” where “death on both sides will be devastating” given Russia’s far larger population.

“Victory for Ukraine is unlikely in total war. If you care about the people of Ukraine, seek peace,” he wrote on Twitter.

Russia is doing partial mobilization. They go to full war mobilization if Crimea is at risk. Death on both sides will be devastating.

Russia has >3 times population of Ukraine, so victory for Ukraine is unlikely in total war. If you care about the people of Ukraine, seek peace.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 3, 2022

Russian President Vladimir Putin has called on Ukraine to cease hostilities and negotiate after ordering a partial mobilisation to bolster his forces and threatening to use nuclear weapons.

Zelenskyy has said he will never negotiate with Russia as long as Putin remained its leader.

- © AFP 2022