Elon Musk says he supports increasing US oil and gas output in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine despite the “negative” impact it would have on Tesla.
The electric vehicle entrepreneur took to Twitter to say that he supported the move, which could bring down escalating gas prices in America during the current crisis.
Mr Musk, who has become the world’s richest man by revolutionising the auto industry, admitted that his stance was counterintuitive.
“Hate to say it, but we need to increase oil & gas output immediately. Extraordinary times demand extraordinary measures,” he tweeted on Friday night.
“Obviously, this would negatively affect Tesla, but sustainable energy solutions simply cannot react instantaneously to make up for Russian oil & gas exports.”
And he urged Ukraine to “hold strong” while he gave his “sympathies to the great people of Russia, who do not want this.”