US Senator Graham on Putin and Ukraine war after talks in Kyiv with President Zelenskyy

Spread the love

(18 Mar 2024)
RESTRICTIONS SUMMARY:

Advertisements

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Kyiv – 18-March-2024
1. Close of name of conference hall
2. Wide of media waiting for US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Lindsey Graham, US Republican Senator:
“Putin’s election is not legitimate. He’s not a legitimate president. He is in charge of a terrorist state. So, my response to his election will be to introduce legislation, when I get back to Washington, declaring Russia to be a state sponsor of terrorism under U.S. law, because they are. I feel bad for the Russian people having to live in Putin’s state. 87% of the vote is pretty impressive to the point you just don’t believe it. So, the bottom line is, I consider this last election a sham, that he’s a war criminal, not a legitimate leader on the world stage. And I’m calling on the Biden administration to support designating Russia a state sponsor of terrorism under U.S. law.”
4. Mid of US and Ukrainian flags
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Lindsey Graham, US Republican Senator:
“I’ve learned that there’s $380 billion of Russian sovereign wealth assets frozen, 200 billion are in Belgium. And we need to get that money to help Ukraine and help ourselves. So, I told the president, I’m all in for helping Ukraine, but we have to do it in a form of a loan, no interest, waivable, if necessary, for all of our allies. This is going to be a new way of doing business. I think it will get more public support back home.”
6. Wide of Graham listening
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Lindsey Graham, US Republican Senator:
“(20)24 is going to be a very decisive year for the future of Europe and the world at large. Here’s what I hope will happen in 2024. America will send weapons that you badly need in Ukraine in a fashion that’s sustainable. Pay us back if you can, down the road – that you will begin to not only hold the territory but begin to push further on the Russians during 2024. That you get ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile System) so you can knock the damn bridge down, linking Crimea to Russia. I want 2024 year to be the year of a qualitative advantage for the Ukrainian military.”
8. Close of US flag
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Lindsey Graham, US Republican Senator:
“I am hopeful that we will find a way forward on the supplemental this week, once we pass our own budget. I’m hopeful that the ATACMS will be announced any moment now. I’m hopeful that F-16s will be in the air soon. I am hopeful that a security guarantee between the United States and Ukraine will be signed this year.”
10. Mid of painting on the wall of conference hall
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Lindsey Graham, US Republican Senator:
“In 2014, we did not end the war. We set conditions for a new war. So how does this war end? It ends in such a fashion that Putin or somebody like Putin will never invade Ukraine again. You need to be in NATO over the archetype. I support Ukrainian mission in NATO. I support your integration into the European Union – membership in the EU. That will make it harder for anybody to invade Ukraine again. But until we get you into NATO or on a path to NATO, there’s no reason, the United States and other major powers cannot give you security guarantees that are beneficial to you and us. That is on the table when Mr. (Jake) Sullivan comes over. I am a Republican supporting that concept. I urge the Biden administration to negotiate and sign a security guarantee with Ukraine in 2024.”
12. Close of US flag
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Lindsey Graham, US Republican Senator:
14. Close of stars on US flag
15. SOUNDBITE (English) Lindsey Graham, US Republican Senator:
18. Close of details on US flag