The disseminated video is misleading. In fact, the senator did not say the words “Russians are dying” and “This is the best money we have spent” in a single context. The President of Ukraine thanked the United States for the financial support, to which Graham answered, “This is the best money we have ever spent.”
The mentioned video of the meeting with Lindsey Graham was published on May 26, 2023, on the Telegram channel of the President of Ukraine. The video is made up of clips of several seconds, and Graham’s two sentences, which he uttered in different parts of the conversation, in different contexts, are aligned together.
Later, the Ukrainian side published a more extensive video of the meeting between Zelenskyy and Graham. In the lengthy recording, Senator Graham clearly says the words “best money we have ever spent” after Zelensky thanked the American people for their help.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Thank you very much for coming. Thanks to the United States, people of the United States, who are all big support; President Biden, and members of the congress. We know that from the first days, we have the full support, it’s about 38 billion, and it’s a big, big support. very important.”
Lindsey Graham: This is the best money we have ever spent.”
.As for the phrase “Russians are dying,” Graham says these words while talking about freedom, and Zelensky replies that the Russians invaded the territory of Ukraine.
Lindsay Graham: Your country amazes me.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy: It’s about all our people and all your people.
Lindsay Graham: You remind me of our better selves in America. There was a time in America when we were this way. Fighting to the last person. We were going to be free or die.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy: And now you are free, and we will be free.
Lindsay Graham: And the Russians are dying.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Yes, but they came to our territory; we are not fighting on theirs.
Notably, after the release of the first video, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia put American Senator Lindsey Graham on the wanted list.
Some of the Facebook accounts that shared the video have amplified disinformation a number of times in the past. Read more in the articles prepared by “Myth Detector”:
Nana Ugulava:
- Disinformation About the Ban on Public Display of the Ukrainian Flag in Israel
- Are Ukrainian Women Not Permitted to Leave the Country As of October 1?
Conservative Movement:
- The War in Ukraine in 2022 or the First Aid Training in 2016 – What does the Photo Collage Depict?
- The Recurring Disinformation that the US Assisted Georgia with Only Water and Diapers during the 2008 War
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