Errol Musk, the South African billionaire and father of Elon Musk, traveled to Moscow to take part in a Kremlin-aligned ideological forum “Future-2050” organized by Alexandr Dugin, a central figure in Russia’s Kremlin-backed nationalist movement. During his visit, Musk Sr. expressed support for Russian President Vladimir Putin and repeated several Ukraine-related narratives of Kremlin propaganda.

Forum hosted by Russian World ideologist Alexandr Dugin

On 7 June, Russian propaganda outlets Tsargrad and REN TV reported that Errol Musk had arrived in Moscow to attend the “Future Forum-2050.” The event is organized by Alexandr Dugin, who is widely known as the chief ideologist of the “Russian World” concept and a vocal supporter of Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine. Dugin has long advocated for the destruction of Ukrainian statehood and played a role in pro-Russian protests in 2014.

The forum is backed by Konstantin Malofeev, a Russian Orthodox businessman recognized for financing projects promoting radical anti-Western and anti-democratic ideologies.

Musk Sr. repeats Kremlin claims about Ukraine and Putin

Speaking to journalists at the event, Errol Musk once again expressed his support for Vladimir Putin, according to Liga. He repeated several well-known Kremlin talking points, including false claims about “biolaboratories” in Ukraine and the supposed need to “protect Russian-speaking populations.” These themes are central to Russia’s narrative justifying its aggression in Ukraine.

WSJ uncovers Musk’s regular communications with Kremlin since 2022

Earlier, on 4 April 2025, Musk Sr. told the Russian-language BBC service that his family holds “a certain admiration” for Putin.

Forum agenda includes Russian ideological and military themes

The forum is structured around a series of panels and discussions focusing on Russia’s ideological future and military aspirations. The announced topics include:

• “The fight for souls and minds. The ideology of sovereign Russia”
• “Russian cosmism. The race for Mars”
• “Digital sovereignty. Artificial intelligence in the service of Russia”
• “Patriotic education. The image of the hero of our time”
• “Wars of the future. Gamification of war”

Among the invited speakers are Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, state TV host and top propagandist Ekaterina Andreeva from Channel One, and a number of propagandists from Western countries.

Elon Musk claims Odesa could fall if Russo-Ukrainian war drags on

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a phone call on June 1 to discuss Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and upcoming peace talks scheduled for June 2 in Istanbul.

The call comes on the eve of the second round of direct talks between Kyiv and Moscow, amid escalating attacks as the Kremlin continues to reject calls for an unconditional ceasefire.

According to Russia's Foreign Ministry, Lavrov and Rubio "exchanged views on various initiatives concerning a settlement of the Ukraine crisis, including plans to resume direct Russian-Ukrainian talks in Istanbul on June 2."

The State Department confirmed that Russia requested the call and that Rubio reiterated U.S. President Donald Trump's call for direct talks between Russia and Ukraine to achieve "a lasting peace."

During the most recent peace talks on May 16 — the first direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine since the start of the war — the two parties spoke for less than two hours, with no agreement reached on a ceasefire.

Moreover, Moscow reiterated its maximalist demands for Kyiv to withdraw completely from four Ukrainian oblasts, despite Russia not controlling any of them in their entirety.

Although the peace talks were largely unsuccessful, Russia and Ukraine managed to reach an agreement for the exchange of prisoners of war (POWs) on a 1,000-for-1,000 basis.

More than a week ago, Russia also promised to reveal its peace terms after the prisoner exchange, but has yet to deliver.

During the June 1 phone call, the Russian Foreign Ministry claimed that Rubio also expressed his condolences over the deaths that resulted from recent train derailment in Russia's Bryansk Oblast, which borders Ukraine.

At least seven people died and another 69 were injured after a train derailed on May 31, following the collapse of an overhead road bridge. The cause of the incident is not yet clear and no one has claimed responsibility for the bridge collapse.

Ukraine war latest: Ukrainian drones strike over 40 Russian aircraft, damage 34% of strategic bombers

Key developments on May 31-June 1: * Ukrainian drone strikes hit more than 40 aircraft at key airfields, damage 34% of Russian strategic bombers * Russian soldiers surrender because ‘abuse in units is worse than captivity,’ Ukrainian military says * Russian military freight train blown up en route to Crimea, HUR says

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov presented to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio Moscow's "specific proposals" for the next round of peace talks with Ukraine, Russia's Foreign Ministry announced on May 29.

The two diplomats held a phone call on May 28, the day when Russia proposed holding negotiations with Ukraine in Istanbul on June 2 in a follow-up to the first round on May 16.

Lavrov also "informed Marco Rubio about implementing the May 19 agreements between President of Russia Vladimir Putin and President of the United States Donald Trump," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

Trump and Putin held a phone call on May 19, during which the Russian leader again rejected a truce and pushed for maximalist demands, but also voiced his readiness to negotiate a "memorandum regarding a potential future peace treaty."

During the call with Lavrov, Rubio stressed Trump's "intention to quickly bring the Ukraine conflict to an end and expressed Washington's readiness to help the sides to bring their positions closer together," according to the Russian readout.

While initially reluctant to criticize Putin, Trump adopted an increasingly critical tone toward the Russian leader in recent days as Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities intensify and the Kremlin continues to reject calls for a ceasefire.

Kyiv and its European partners have urged the U.S. to impose additional sanctions to pressure Moscow to agree to a truce. Trump has refused to take the step so far, saying he is "close to getting a deal" and does not want to "screw it up" by fresh sanctions.

"We're going to find out very soon. It'll take about two weeks, or a week and a half," Trump told reporters this week, responding to a question on whether Putin wants to end the war. He added that Washington would "respond a little bit differently" if it appears that Moscow is stalling.

"They seem to want to do something. But until the document is signed, I can't tell you... I'm very disappointed at what happened. A couple of nights now where people were killed in the middle of what you would call a negotiation."

Russia vowed to present its peace memorandum but has yet to deliver, drawing rebuke from Ukrainian, European, and U.S. officials. Trump has also repeatedly signaled he would exit the peace efforts unless progress is achieved soon.

Reuters reported that Putin's conditions for ending Russia's war against Ukraine include a written pledge by NATO not to accept more Eastern European members, lifting of some sanctions, and Ukraine's neutral status, among other demands.

Ukraine war latest: Moscow proposes next round of Russia-Ukraine talks on June 2 in Istanbul

* Moscow proposes next round of Russia-Ukraine talks on June 2 in Istanbul * Ukrainian drones hit Russian cruise missile factory, SBU source says, in one of largest reported strikes of full-scale war * 11 more Ukrainian Children rescued from Russian-occupied territories, Yermak’s advisor says * ‘We’ll know in two weeks’ if Putin serious

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

Editor's note: The story was updated to include additional information released by the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Moscow has proposed June 2 as the date for the next round of talks with Ukraine in Istanbul, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said during a press conference.

In his remarks, Lavrov said the talks would be a continuation of the process launched during earlier negotiations on May 16 in Istanbul.

"In Istanbul, it was agreed that Moscow and Kyiv would prepare documents setting out the positions of each side to reach a sustainable resolution," Lavrov said. "The Russian side, as agreed, promptly drafted a corresponding memorandum, which lays out our position on all aspects of reliably overcoming the root causes of the crisis."

Under the guise of so-called "root causes," Russia has repeatedly reiterated its long-standing maximalist demands of Ukraine— the same ones it has voiced since the start of the full-scale invasion and has used as propaganda to justify its aggression against Ukraine.

Among them, Moscow insists Kyiv withdraw from four partially occupied Ukrainian regions it claims to have annexed.

Russia's memorandum also reportedly includes a written pledge that NATO will not expand further eastward, effectively blocking Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova from joining, as well as the lifting of some Western sanctions, resolution of frozen Russian assets, and "the protection of Russian-speaking Ukrainians."

Lavrov added that the Russian delegation, led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, is prepared to present this memorandum to the Ukrainian side and provide necessary clarifications during the second round of negotiations in Istanbul on Monday, June 2.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, Lavrov also held a phone conversation with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, during which he informed Rubio about Moscow's preparations for concrete proposals for the upcoming round of talks with Ukraine in Istanbul.

The Foreign Ministry stated that Rubio, in turn, emphasized U.S. President Donald Trump's intention to bring the war in Ukraine to a conclusion.

Ukrainian officials have not publicly commented on the proposed meeting.

Earlier on May 28,  Medinsky claimed he personally called Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov to suggest holding a meeting "in the coming days" to exchange draft memoranda outlining conditions for a potential ceasefire.

During the first round of talks in Istanbul the two sides failed to reach agreement on a 30-day ceasefire. Ukraine had offered an immediate halt to hostilities, an all-for-all prisoner swap, and a meeting between Presidents Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin. Russia refused, instead sending a low-level delegation.

The only decision reached during the talks was an agreement on a 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange.

Putin-Zelensky meeting possible after ‘specific agreements,’ Russia says

“Our position on the fundamental possibility of such a meeting has not changed,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.

The Kyiv IndependentMartin Fornusek

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on May 27 that Moscow would welcome a second round of peace talks with Ukraine in Istanbul, he said during a joint press conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

"If you ask me, I would turn to our Turkish friends again — Istanbul is very good," Lavrov said, according to state-owned news agency TASS.

The proposal comes as global diplomacy searches for a venue for negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow after the May 16 talks failed to achieve the ceasefire Ukraine has pushed for.  

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on May 19 that Ukraine is open to a new round of talks in Turkey, Switzerland, or the Vatican. Lavrov, however, cast doubt on the Vatican as a host, arguing that it would be an unsuitable platform for talks between "Orthodox countries."

The Turkish foreign minister, who met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kremlin negotiator Vladimir Medinsky during his visit, reaffirmed Ankara's readiness to facilitate future talks.

Fidan is expected to travel to Ukraine later this week following his two-day trip to Moscow.

Turkey previously hosted peace negotiations in March 2022. Since then, Ankara has maintained active contact with both Kyiv and Moscow and facilitated multiple prisoner exchanges, as well as the now-defunct Black Sea Grain Initiative.

No official date or venue for a second round of talks has been agreed. The renewed discussion about potential locations follows a May 19 call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Putin.

During the call, Putin rejected Ukraine's proposal for an immediate ceasefire and instead suggested preparing a "memorandum" outlining a future peace framework.

Since the call, Russia has launched one of its most intense waves of aerial attacks, including more than 600 drones and dozens of missiles over a single weekend.

Why Trump needs to follow through and trigger the ‘downfall of Russia’

Despite months of resisting President Donald Trump’s peace process, the U.S. has yet to take a single concrete step to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin into ending his full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The Kyiv IndependentOleksii Kovalenko