Top Republican Senator Lindsey Graham was on her third visit to the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, this weekend.
There he is said to have delved deep into Ukrainian military plans, he says Policy. He understands the much talked about plans for the Ukrainian counter-offensive.
And Graham is impressed with what he heard.
– The Russians will have a bad surprise. In the next few days, you will see quite an impressive show of force from the Ukrainians, Graham tells the political site.
The Republican politician does not go into detail about when or how the counteroffensive will take place. However, he is optimistic about Ukraine and believes it can successfully convince Russia to withdraw from the country within a year.
MEET: Zelenskyj and Graham met in kyiv last weekend. Photo: AFP/”UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE/NTB
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– Decisions are made
Discussions over the Ukrainian counter-offensive have intensified in recent weeks and yesterday President Volodymyr Zelenskyj hinted that the timing of the offensive was clear.
– That’s what’s most important. When we should move on. Because we will. The decisions have been made, Zelenskyy said.
Zelenskyj’s adviser, Mykhajlo Podoljak, confirmed to CNN earlier in May that the country had started preparatory operations.
– Everything that is happening now is a precursor to a counter-offensive, a necessary prerequisite, he said.
Graham describes Ukrainian leaders as much more optimistic now than when he first visited the country. He describes the Zelenskyi administration as stunned at the time, while he now sees assurance in the Ukrainian president.
life threatened
Graham himself made headlines in Russia when a manipulated clip of his meeting with Zelenskyj was shown during a Russian TV debate.
In the clip, Graham appears to say the following:
“The Russians are dying. It’s the best money we’ve ever spent.
But the clip was manipulated, original Reuters recordings show.
Just seconds after Graham said ‘Russians are dying’ on the battlefield in Ukraine, the senator said ‘this is the best money we’ve ever spent’.
Margarita Simonjan, editor-in-chief of Russian English-language public broadcaster RT, called on Sunday night for Graham’s death because of the clip.
Russia has also issued an arrest warrant for the US senator.
He takes everything with an overwhelming calm:
– Knowing that my support for Ukraine has drawn the wrath of the Putin regime fills me with immense joy. I will continue to support and defend Ukraine’s freedom until every Russian soldier is expelled from Ukrainian territory, Graham said in a statement Monday.
