The UK's Defence Secretary, Grant Shapps, has spoken out against billionaire Elon Musk for his tweets mocking Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, deeming them "unhelpful". Shapps made these comments during a conference fringe event where he emphasized the importance of Ukraine having "strong friends".

Unhelpful Tweets

Elon Musk took to Twitter to mock Zelensky's pleas for aid, which has caused controversy and raised eyebrows in Ukraine. Shapps expressed his disapproval, stating, "I think it's unhelpful, to be blunt. I can't speak for him or his motivations. He's a free individual, we live in a free world. He can tweet or X what he likes." The Defence Secretary emphasized the need for Ukraine to have steadfast allies during this challenging time.

Musk's Controversial Outburst

This is not the first time Musk's comments have caused outrage in Ukraine. Last year, the billionaire threatened to cut off the crucial satellite internet service used by Ukrainian soldiers. This action was allegedly inspired by an ambassador being rude to Musk. Additionally, Musk sparked controversy by suggesting a "peace" plan that involved Ukraine ceding Crimea and the Donbas to the Kremlin. This led to a heated Twitter argument with President Zelensky, with the Ukrainian leader accusing Musk of siding with Putin.

The Ukrainian ambassador to Germany, Andriy Melnyk, also responded strongly to Musk's actions, tweeting bluntly, "F*** off is my very diplomatic reply to you @elonmusk".