US senator makes no promises to Zelenskyy on sanctions legislation
The Republican senator, who met with Ukraine’s leader in Kyiv this week, said he doesn’t see himself or any one person taking over the foreign policy mantle of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham.
On Tuesday, Oklahoma Republican Sen. James Lankford visited Kyiv, praising Ukraine's sophisticated military but stating he couldn't guarantee Congress would approve long-awaited sanctions against Russia anytime soon. Zelenskyy urged for sanctions approval in September, though Lankford noted he does not set the schedule. The Ukrainian leader expressed interest in additional economic pressure on Russia, as each dollar they earn is used to purchase weapons to kill Ukrainians.
Lankford, a prominent sitting elected Republican, was one of the top elected officials to make the trip, following the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham, a staunch Ukraine advocate. He pushed for the sanctions bill following Graham's death, not anticipating to step into his role. Zelenskyy requested Patriot interceptor missiles or the right to produce them to protect against Russian missile attacks, a request Lankford couldn't confirm.
Former Vice President Mike Pence also visited Kyiv and met with Zelenskyy. Lankford is returning to the U.S. impressed by Ukraine's growing military prowess.
Written by urgent.news from Politico EU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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