Putin Pulls Fast One – Is He Trying to Turn Musk?

In a bold new twist in U.S.-Russia relations, Moscow is now courting none other than Elon Musk—hoping to turn his dream of a manned Mars mission into a joint U.S.-Russia venture.

Yes, you read that right—the same Russia that’s been saber-rattling in Ukraine, antagonizing NATO, and facing U.S. sanctions is now extending an olive branch through SpaceX’s Mars ambitions. And the timing? Just minutes before President Donald Trump’s highly anticipated meeting with Vladimir Putin.

Moscow’s Space Play: A Strategic Gambit

The Russian Direct Investment Fund, Moscow’s sovereign wealth fund, made a very public flirtation with Musk, with its head, Kirill Dmitriev, signaling Russia’s interest in a joint Mars mission.

“We believe that Musk is a unique leader who is focused on humanity moving forward together,” Dmitriev gushed in an interview with Russian state media.

That’s quite the about-face from a nation that’s spent the last decade antagonizing the U.S. on multiple fronts—from cyberattacks to military maneuvers.

Why Musk? Why Now?

Dmitriev, a Harvard and Stanford-educated banker, has long been a key Kremlin player, navigating high-stakes diplomacy with the White House and Saudi Arabia. He is personally sanctioned by the U.S., but that hasn’t stopped him from singing Musk’s praises.

His overtures to Musk come just as the 50th anniversary of the historic Apollo-Soyuz mission approaches—a Cold War-era moment of space collaboration between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.

Dmitriev is framing his offer as a throwback to those “good old days”—claiming a Mars mission could unite the U.S. and Russia for the “benefit of humanity.”

But make no mistake—this isn’t just about space exploration. Putin knows Musk holds massive influence over both Washington and Silicon Valley, and this is a strategic attempt to get Russia back in America’s good graces.

A PR Stunt or a Serious Proposal?

While Moscow is making headlines with its talk of space cooperation, the reality is Russia’s space program has been struggling.

Roscosmos (Russia’s space agency) has fallen behind in rocket innovation.
Russia’s economy is battered by sanctions.
The Kremlin wants in on the next big space race—and Musk is the undisputed leader.

It’s no coincidence that Dmitriev’s pitch coincides with Musk’s high-profile SpaceX Dragon mission—which successfully returned American and Russian astronauts from the International Space Station.

What’s Next? Will Musk Play Along?

Musk has yet to respond publicly—but given his outspoken support of Trump, his nationalist economic views, and his desire to keep the U.S. at the forefront of technological innovation, it’s hard to imagine him jumping into bed with Moscow.

Trump, Musk, and the New Space Race

Under Trump’s leadership, NASA and private industry have led an unprecedented resurgence in space dominance—and Musk has been central to that success.