Russia wants to team up with SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, President Vladimir Putin’s international cooperation envoy said on Tuesday, describing the tech billionaire as “one of the greatest leaders of our time.”
Kirill Dmitriev, Putin’s special envoy on international economic and investment cooperation, said discussions with Musk could take place “in the near future,” Russian news outlet RBC reported on Tuesday.
Newsweek has contacted SpaceX for comment by email.
Why It Matters
The development signals a further strengthening of relations between the U.S. and Russia during President Donald Trump’s second term in office. Moscow faces significant isolation from most Western nations due to Putin’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine. By openly seeking cooperation with Musk, one of Trump’s closest White House advisers, Russia is signaling to the West its intent to reestablish international legitimacy.
What To Know
“Shall 2029 be the year of a joint US-Russia mission to Mars, @elonmusk? Our minds & technology should serve the glory of humanity, not its destruction. #SpaceForPeace,” Dmitriev, head of the state-controlled Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), proposed in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on March 15.
Days later, Dmitriev said he is expecting to speak with Musk, the world’s richest man, about a potential mission to Mars. Russia also wants to collaborate with the Tesla CEO to advance the capabilities of its space agency, Roscosmos, and its state-owned nuclear corporation, Rosatom, Dmitriev added.
“I think that there will undoubtedly be a discussion with Musk in the near future,” Dmitriev said at a business forum in Moscow. “His focus is on the fact that we must move forward creatively. Of course, we see this, we appreciate it, and he is certainly one of the greatest leaders of our time.”
Musk previously said he wants to send his Starship rocket carrying the Tesla humanoid robot “Optimus” to Mars as soon as next year, with human crewed missions taking place between 2029 and 2031.
Musk didn’t respond publicly to Dmitriev’s initial proposal on X.
Dmitriev was the Russian president’s unofficial representative in contacts with the Trump administration during his first term in office in 2016.
What People Are Saying
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said on X on March 15: “Starship departs for Mars at the end of next year, carrying Optimus. If those landings go well, then human landings may start as soon as 2029, although 2031 is more likely.”
Kirill Dmitriev said at a business forum in Moscow on Tuesday: “Our vision for cooperation with Musk goes beyond just Mars—it’s about leveraging the strong expertise within Roscosmos and Rosatom, which could contribute to making a Mars mission more efficient and safer. I believe this dialogue will continue.”
What Happens Next
The remarks came ahead of a scheduled phone call between Putin and Trump, in which the two leaders are expected to discuss the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, among other bilateral issues. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the call would take place at 9 a.m. ET Tuesday.
Michael Gonzalez/Getty Images
