Elon Musk participated in a phone call between elected U.S. President Donald Trump and world leaders, highlighting the billionaire's great influence on the upcoming government. During the conversation with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Musk was present, along with Chris Ruddy, CEO of the Newsmax television network.
"President Trump knows Serbia very well, and Elon Musk, who was with him, as well as Chris Ruddy, also know it particularly well, perhaps even the best," Vucic told the press during discussions on climate at COP29 in Azerbaijan. Vucic, who has maintained relations with both the Kremlin and the West, has advocated for a truce between Russia and Ukraine under the upcoming U.S. government.
Serbia has positioned itself as a key player in the supply chain of critical raw materials for electric vehicle production, with plans to develop Europe's largest lithium mine. Musk's participation in last week's call with Zelenski was planned in advance, and Trump put the phone on speaker while Musk was present in the room.
It is unclear what motivated Musk and Ruddy to participate in the conversation with the Balkan leader, although it was mentioned that the topic of discussion might have been related to sports. Vucic highlighted that he was one of the first world leaders to speak with Trump after his electoral victory on November 5, which he called a "great honor."
The exchange took place after Musk participated in a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenski last week. This demonstrates the executive's status, who has supported Trump's campaign with his wealth and influence through SpaceX and Tesla.
