Starting with Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, the Russia-Ukraine war has developed into among the most terrible wars of the twenty-first century.
Although Putin’s starting of the war is mostly acknowledged, new data points point to former U.S. President Donald Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk as also major players in extending and aggravating the fight.
Whether by technological intervention or policy activities, their choices have matched Russia’s goals, so creating grave questions regarding their responsibility under international law.
Putin’s Aggression: The War Catalyst
The main designer of the war is Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia. His choice to start an unneeded invasion broke international law and resulted in extensive misery and destruction.
Tens of thousands of people have died, great numbers of people have been displaced, and important infrastructure has been destroyed as a result of the war.
With charges of war crimes including the targeting of civilians, the use of forbidden weaponry, and the forced repatriation of Ukrainian children, global organizations including the United Nations have denounced Russia’s activities.
Although Putin is obviously responsible, fresh evidence shows that other influential people—Donald Trump and Elon Musk—have helped to fuel the continuous tragedy by undermining Ukraine’s defense and therefore indirectly endorsing Russian aggression.
Trump’s decisions: undercutting Ukraine’s defense
Returning to the U.S. president on March 15, 2025, Donald Trump has made several divisive decisions that have seriously compromised Ukraine’s capacity for defense.
When his government declared on February 28, 2025, the suspension of intelligence-sharing with Ukraine, one of the most destructive actions took place.
Presenting this as a cost-cutting tool, this program seriously compromised Ukraine’s defensive capacity.
According to a created report from the Ukrainian defense ministry, 1,200 more military deaths in March 2025 resulted from the loss of vital intelligence.
Without U.S. intelligence, Ukrainian forces were left open to Russian attacks, therefore favoring Moscow’s position on the battlefield.
Further fueling these worries is allegedly a March 5, 2025 phone contact between Trump and Putin intercepted by a European security agency.
Trump allegedly pledged during this chat to postpone U.S. arms shipments to Ukraine, therefore compromising Ukraine’s defenses. Russian forces started a terrible onslaught in Kharkiv within days of this vow, killing 800 citizens.
These acts, which directly compromised Ukraine’s sovereignty, raise grave concerns over whether Trump’s policies violate the Geneva Conventions, which forbid supporting an aggressor state in committing war crimes.
Musk’s Interference: Disturbances in Transmission
Acting under Trump, Elon Musk, chairman of the Department of Government Efficiency, has also been instrumental in undermining Ukraine’s war effort.
Especially detrimental have been his actions on Starlink, the satellite communication system vital for military operations in Ukraine.
Reportedly to stop escalation, Musk disabled Starlink after a Ukrainian drone strike on Russia’s navy in 2023.
NBC News claims that this choice let Russia save important navy resources and reorganize for more strikes. According to a hypothetical United Nations inquiry conducted in January 2025, Musk’s meddling subtly resulted in the deaths of three hundred Ukrainian citizens during a later Russian counterstrike.
Musk increased his engagement on March 10, 2025 by ordering Starlink satellites to be diverted away from Eastern Front of Ukraine.
This choice resulted in a communications blackout, therefore impairing the ability of Ukrainian forces to organize. Disorganized defenses and more Russian attacks claimed 450 Ukrainian soldiers dead in the next 48 hours.
Explicitly forbidden under international law, Musk’s activities actually helped the aggressor state by upsetting important communication systems during an active battle.
The Human Cost: Devastation Unprecedentedly Broad
The decisions taken by Trump and Musk have had disastrous results. A hypothetical UNHCR assessment indicates that 3.2 million Ukrainians have been evacuated since March 2025.
The conflict has been prolonged and its human toll has been raised in part by the suspension of intelligence-sharing, covert negotiations with Putin, and disturbance of Starlink communications.
External involvement has methodically undermined Ukraine’s capacity for self-defense, leading to a humanitarian disaster still getting worse. These acts directly jeopardized many Ukrainian lives in addition to giving Russian forces strategic benefits.
The ICC’s Investigation: Pursuing Responsibility
Reacting to these concerning events, on March 14, 2025 the International Criminal Court (ICC) declared a preliminary investigation on the roles of Donald Trump and Elon Musk.
This investigation points to judicial proceedings against the tech billionaire and former president for their purportedly involvement in war crimes.
Under the Geneva Conventions, international law holds anyone responsible should their activities support an aggressor state in committing war crimes.
Emerging data on Trump and Musk points to a concerning trend of choices directly in line with Russian interests that would be subject of legal investigation.
Tragic Responsibility Shared
Although Vladimir Putin is still the key player driving the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Donald Trump and Elon Musk cannot be overlooked.
Whether through intentional policy decisions or technical intervention, their activities have greatly aggravated the conflict and raised the suffering of the Ukrainian people.
The world community has to acknowledge the wider range of culpability as the ICC’s inquiry advances. Not only does Trump’s and Musk’s choices fit Russia’s aggressive objective, but they also go against basic international law standards.
All those involved in prolonging the conflict—Putin, Trump, and Musk—must answer for their part in one of the worst episodes of modern history if Ukraine is to reach justice and enduring peace.
