Russian President Vladimir Putin smiled during a meeting with workers while visiting the Avtovaz car factory in Togliatti, Russia on January 28, 2025.
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U.S. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham told Munich security meeting on Saturday that Russian President Vladimir Putin did more than members do many.
Graham said in an MSC panel including NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen: “If I nominate someone as the annual NATO year Best man, that would be Putin.”
Graham said: “He did more help NATO than we did. We had two new members (Sweden and Finland). We were talking about spending more, not less. So he did serious Error calculation.”
Graham, a long-time ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, said a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine should include conditions that Ukraine will be awarded to NATO if Russia invades Ukraine again in the future. Automatic and direct membership of the military alliance.
“I do believe that if he understands ‘you do it again, then your worst nightmare for Ukraine in NATO is certain’ (that’s a deterrent,” said Senate Budget Committee Chairman Graham.
(LR) Ranking member Jeanne Shaheen of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Lindsey Graham, chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte February 15, 2025 .
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Graham’s comments are flooded Regarding the essence of the peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, Trump announced this last week, and what a deal might need. NATO members were shocked by the president’s announcement and expressed concerns that they appeared to be excluded from negotiations in Washington.
In addition, NATO chief Mark Rutte commented on Saturday that members of the European Military Alliance Have to stop complaining about being eliminated Peace negotiations and discussions on the future of Ukraine.
“Start the debate, not by complaining…but by coming up with specific ideas,” he told the MSC.
The NATO chief also confirmed that the coalition would reach a new defense spending target agreement when members meet at a summit in The Hague, Netherlands in June.
“Game-changing” mineral transactions?
Trump administration advises Ukraine that the U.S. has gained 50% ownership of the country’s rare earth minerals and says it’s open Deploy the US military NBC News reported that if an agreement is reached with Russia to end the war, please guard them.
The ownership agreement is not about paying for minerals, but rather a way for Ukraine to compensate Washington for billions of dollars in military aid to Kiev during the war, two officials said. NBC News reported on Saturday.
Senator Graham supported the potential mineral deal, calling it a potential “game-changing” in Ukraine, while Putin had a “nightmare” for Putin while speaking to the delegate at MSC.
“The mineral agreement between the United States and Ukraine is a game-changer because President Trump can turn to the American people () and say ‘Ukraine is not a burden, it’s a benefit.’ They sit at a value of tens of thousands.’ On the minerals of billions, we all can benefit from it with Western linings,” he said.
Lindsey Graham, chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, spoke during a panel discussion at the 61st Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Munich, Germany on February 15, 2025.
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“I told President Trump that this might be the old Soviet Union, it might be the Russian Empire, but I do know that he is chasing money. Don’t let him steal Ukraine that has to enrich himself because it’s like returning funds to the police so .
Graham urged European allies to support the deal, saying: “So you’d better fight for this mineral agreement.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Prepare to “come an agreement” with the United States through minerals in exchange for aid.