March 19, 2024 (EIRNS)—The senior U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, back in Kiev, yesterday ate his words and mumbled his way through an endorsement of the cancellation of elections in Ukraine. Last year, on August 24 in Kiev, he had been very clear, stating: “And I believe that it is time for Ukraine to take the next step in the development of democracy, namely to hold elections in 2024…. I want free and fair elections in this country, even while it is under attack.”
Yesterday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that he had met with Graham on “implementing plans to de-occupy our territories,” increasing sanctions on Russia, and the use of frozen Russian assets for Kiev. After the meeting, Graham, in the words of Ukrainska Pravda, “admitted that there was a consensus in Ukraine regarding a critical attitude to the elections.” Graham was then quoted, explaining the matter: “Everyone I spoke with believes that the first step is to turn the war into the best environment for holding elections. And I agree with this after being on the spot.”
First, one would infer that Graham made his call for elections from a distance and, now, being in Kiev, “on the spot,” he has a better reading of the situation. But, alas, he was in Kiev, on the same spot, last year. But beyond the silly sophistry, Graham’s explanation of his intelligence gathering is that everyone he spoke with—that is, the people in Zelenskyy’s government—is acting on the belief that elections are to come after a successful war effort creates the “best environment” for them. Translation: Zelenskyy stays in office indefinitely under martial law, as there is no war effort that will create a better environment.
In this brave new world, Zelenskyy summed up” his argument for Graham: “Democracy and freedom must prevail—now and always.”
