Zelenskyy Fires Back at Lindsey Graham Over Criticism of White House Meeting

Babatunji Wusu –

• Graham’s Criticism: U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for his tense exchange with former President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance during an Oval Office meeting.
• Calls for Resignation: Graham and Speaker Mike Johnson suggested that Zelenskyy should step down following the confrontation.
• Zelenskyy’s Response: Speaking at a London summit, Zelenskyy dismissed Graham’s remarks, sarcastically offering him Ukrainian citizenship so his opinion on Ukraine’s leadership would carry weight.
• Defending Ukrainian Sovereignty: Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine, not U.S. politicians, will decide its leadership.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has pushed back against U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham’s criticism of his recent Oval Office confrontation with former President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance. The tense meeting, which took place last Friday, reportedly involved Zelenskyy clashing with Trump and Vance over U.S. support for Ukraine.

Graham, in response, accused Zelenskyy of being “disrespectful” and questioned whether the U.S. could continue to do business with him. Alongside Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, Graham even suggested that the Ukrainian leader should step down.

When asked about Graham’s comments by Sky News presenter Yalda Hakim during a press briefing in London, Zelenskyy responded with sharp sarcasm. “I can give [Lindsey Graham] Ukrainian citizenship, and then his voice will start to gain weight, and I will hear him as a citizen of Ukraine on the topic of who must be the president,” he quipped.

Zelenskyy then reaffirmed Ukraine’s sovereignty in choosing its leader: “The president of Ukraine will have to be chosen not in Lindsey Graham’s home, but in Ukraine.”

The heated exchange underscores the ongoing friction between Zelenskyy and certain U.S. lawmakers over continued American support for Ukraine in its war against Russia. Further developments on U.S.-Ukraine relations are expected in the coming days.