The Wall Street Journal reports, citing several current and former officials from the US, Europe, and Russia.
According to their information, discussions between Musk and Putin covered personal topics, business, and geopolitical tensions. In addition to Putin, Musk also spoke with other high-ranking Russian officials, including Sergei Kiriyenko, the First Deputy Head of the Russian President's Administration.
Reportedly, Putin even asked the American businessman not to activate his Starlink satellite communication terminals over Taiwan, intending to do a favor for Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
Journalists note that Musk has access to certain classified information due to his business connections with US military and intelligence agencies. His company, SpaceX, received a secret contract worth $1.8 billion in 2021 and is a primary supplier of rockets for the Pentagon and NASA.
WSJ also mentions that the American government seems unaware of Musk's contacts with the Kremlin. The businessman previously stated that his companies "have done more to undermine Russia than anyone else."
At the same time, one of the publication's sources claims that the government is highly dependent on Musk's technologies, as SpaceX launches important national security satellites into orbit and transports astronauts to the International Space Station.
The person interviewed by journalists acknowledged that government representatives "do not like" the idea of Putin and Musk maintaining contact; however, the administration has not raised any concerns with the businessman regarding potential security violations.
Putin's press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, stated that the president spoke with Musk only once to discuss "space, as well as current and future technologies." He denied that Putin or other Kremlin officials have regular conversations with the businessman.
In October 2022, Musk also publicly stated that he had only spoken to Putin once about space, which took place around April 2021.