US Senator Lindsey Graham’s remarks, which sparked a political controversy, were voiced at several moments during his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Reuters reported on how those moments were captured in the dialogue.
Initially, Ukraine’s presidential press service released an edited clip of the encounter between Graham and Zelensky. A fragment follows shortly after the senator states, “The Russians are dying,” followed by his remark, “This is the best way to spend our money.”
The full version of the video, supplied to Reuters by Ukrainian officials, shows Graham referencing historical parallels during a broader speech. In that portion, he says, “And the Russians are dying,” noting that the Ukrainian struggle reminded him of pivotal moments in American history.
“There was a time when we stood ready to fight to the last man for liberty,” Graham asserted, describing a past American resolve. Zelensky, replying in English, countered that as Americans gain freedom, Ukrainians will also attain it. Graham reiterated, “and the Russians are dying,” to which Zelensky responded, “Yes, but they came to our area. We are not fighting in their land.”
Against this backdrop, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation initiated a criminal inquiry on behalf of its chairman, Alexander Bastrykin. The ministry stated that Bastrykin instructed the Main Investigation Department to file charges related to the senator’s statements about Russian casualties.
According to the Russian Interior Ministry’s records, “American Lindsey Graham, born July 9, 1955, is wanted under the appropriate Criminal Code article.”
Graham’s remark about the “best possible waste of money” being uttered during Zelensky’s thanks for American military aid was reported again in subsequent conversations. In response to this, Graham told Reuters that the Russian propaganda apparatus was working hard to shape the narrative.
The senator also addressed criticism from Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council. He urged action to end the war, stating that stopping the invasion and addressing alleged war crimes would prevent further Russian casualties in Ukraine.
A shorter version of the previous day’s video release, showing the Graham–Zelensky exchange, drew sharp criticism from Russian officials and state media. Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin’s press secretary, described the incident as a grave embarrassment for the country’s political leadership.
Medvedev later referenced past assassinations of U.S. senators, including Robert Kennedy, in a Telegram post. He argued that in the United States, not only ordinary citizens suffer harm, but that money also powers attacks on elected officials.