The Russian Interior Ministry issued an arrest warrant for US Senator Lindsey Graham Monday (May 29) following his comments on the war in Ukraine.
The arrest warrant was issued after 67-year-old Graham (R-SC) met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday, May 26. In an edited video of the conversation, the US senator noted that "the Russians are dying" and described Washington's military assistance to Kyiv as "the best money we've ever spent."
Meanwhile, Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak tweeted that the best investment the US and the rest of the West could make was "in a complete and unconditional victory of Ukraine."
Indeed, the best investment today (and not only American) in security is an investment in a complete and unconditional victory of Ukraine. As a symbol that democracies are much stronger than aggressive authoritarian obscurantism (especially of the Russian type)... It is also an…
— Михайло Подоляк (@Podolyak_M) May 28, 2023
Russian response
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov condemned the remarks Sunday, May 28, saying it was "hard to imagine a greater shame" for the US to have politicians like Graham.
Russia's Investigative Committee has moved to open a criminal inquiry against Graham due to the arrest warrant.
In addition, Russian Security Council deputy chairman Dmitry Medvedev called Graham an "old fool."
"He shouldn't have done that," Medvedev said. "In his beloved America, not only ordinary people are regularly killed, but dirty money is spent on killing senators."
Russia previously named a number of US officials and elected politicians in their list of persons banned from entering their country.
On the other hand, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Commissioner for Children's Rights Maria Lvova-Belova last March.
Graham strikes back
However, Graham dismissed the criticism made by Moscow.
"As usual the Russia propaganda machine is hard at work," he told Reuters in an email statement regarding Medvedev's comments. He also said the American subsidy was "a good investment...to help liberate Ukraine from Russian war criminals."
He further called for Russia to withdraw and stop the invasion of Ukraine if it wanted to stop Russian deaths.
"Stop the war crimes," Graham addressed Medvedev. "The truth is that you and Putin could care less about Russian soldiers."
Graham was known for his hawkish foreign policy views, being the most outspoken champion of increased military support to Ukraine in its war against Russia.
