US Senator Mark Kelly denies Musk’s “traitor” comment and accuses Trump of undermining Ukraine’s defense

Elon Musk’s accusation of being a traitor has been rejected by US Senator Mark Kelly, who has asserted that President Donald Trump is undermining Ukraine’s defense.

The suspension of intelligence-sharing by the Trump administration has damaged Kyiv’s defenses against Russia, according to a Democratic U.S. senator who just traveled to Ukraine. Additionally, he denied that Trump advisor Elon Musk had called him a “traitor.”

When questioned by reporters about whether he had heard of any particular attacks or instances that might have been avoided had Ukrainians been provided with the suppressed intelligence, Senator Mark Kelly responded, “100%.”

According to Kelly, “if they don’t get things they need, it affects their ability to defend against attacks.” “And I was there on Saturday and Friday night when those attacks took place.”

The Armed Services Committee member from Arizona, a senator, refused to elaborate. He traveled to Ukraine on Saturday and Sunday to show his support and evaluate the situation there.

Since Thursday, Ukrainian authorities have recorded Russian missile and drone strikes that have killed at least 14 people and injured 37 others, as well as attacks that have damaged the nation’s gas and electricity infrastructure. Authorities said that Russian military carried several more airstrikes against Kyiv overnight Monday.

President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine is under further pressure to support President Donald Trump’s efforts to negotiate peace with Russia after the Trump administration declared last week that it was stopping information sharing with Ukraine.

Following a White House meeting in which Trump and Vice President JD Vance, who had opposed aid to Ukraine during his Senate term, openly battled with Zelensky, the decision was made to suspend US military help to Kyiv, which was followed by the intelligence freeze.

One day ahead of planned talks between Ukrainian and US officials that Washington thinks would make major progress toward ending Russia’s war on Ukraine, Zelensky was in Saudi Arabia on Monday for talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman…

After Trump’s second term started on January 20, support for Kyiv, which was once a bipartisan issue, has grown more polarized. Democratic support for Ukraine is still high, while Republican support has declined. Recently, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson said there was “no appetite” for another aid plan.

On X, the social media network he controls, Musk highlighted the political rift by calling Kelly a “traitor” after Kelly denounced Trump’s actions in Ukraine and charged him with undermining Ukraine’s defenses before peace negotiations.