On 15 October 2026, American billionaire Elon Musk, owner of Tesla and SpaceX, once again publicly called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to step down. The businessman commented on a post on social media platform X, in which the author accused the Ukrainian president of allegedly being unwilling to end the war due to the possibility of a presidential election. Musk explained his position by stating that the continuation of hostilities leads to loss of life.
- Elon Musk has once again called on Zelenskyy to step down as President of Ukraine.
- The businessman responded to a post about the end of the war and the presidential election.
- Musk stated that the continuation of hostilities is leading to further casualties.
- The billionaire had previously backed similar statements made by Donald Trump.
What Elon Musk wrote about Zelenskyy
15 October Elon Musk commented on social media X an article by an American political commentator Alexandra M’yuza, known by the pseudonym @amuse.
The author of the post claimed that Volodymyr Zelenskyy is allegedly not interested in bringing the war to a swift conclusion, as presidential elections may take place in Ukraine once hostilities have ceased.
M’юз also suggested that, should he lose the election, Zelenskyy could face investigations and legal proceedings. The report provided no evidence to support these claims.
Musk endorsed the post with a brief comment:
«And so this carnage continues… It’s time for Zelenskyy to go.».
This statement marked yet another public call by the American businessman for a change in Ukraine’s leadership.
Musk had already backed Trump’s calls for a change of president in Ukraine
This is not the first statement of this kind from Elon Musk in recent days. On 11 October, the businessman expressed his support for the President’s words USA Donald Trump on the need for a change in Ukraine’s leadership.
At that point, Musk wrote, who agrees with the US President’s position and believes that the time has come for Ukraine to find a new leader.
Trump had previously criticised Zelenskyy over Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries. According to the US President, such attacks are affecting international fuel markets.
At the same time, the Ukrainian side emphasised that it was prepared to halt attacks on Russian energy infrastructure, provided that Moscow took similar action.
Musk’s public statements came against a backdrop of growing differences between Washington and Kyiv over the terms for ending the Russian-Ukrainian war.
Why are there no presidential elections in Ukraine?
The claim that Zelenskyy is allegedly deliberately prolonging the war in order to retain his post is not supported by evidence.
According to Article 19 of the Law of Ukraine «On the Legal Regime of Martial Law», the holding of presidential, parliamentary and local elections whilst martial law is in force is prohibited. This restriction applies regardless of who holds the office of President.
Furthermore, organising a nationwide vote during wartime presents security challenges and requires measures to ensure the participation of military personnel, internally displaced persons and Ukrainians living abroad.
In May 2026, a working group of the Verkhovna Rada tasked with drafting electoral legislation confirmed the consensus that elections cannot be held whilst martial law is in force.
What Zelenskyy said about ending the war
On 14 October, the day before Musk’s latest statement, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during a meeting with the British Prime Minister, declared Ukraine’s readiness for a ceasefire and diplomatic negotiations. The President emphasised that Ukraine had repeatedly supported initiatives to end hostilities, yet Russia continues to launch attacks on Ukrainian territory.
Zelenskyy also called on international partners to strengthen Ukraine’s air defences.
Consequently, the Ukrainian president’s most recent public statements contradict the claim that he is unwilling to negotiate an end to the war.
