Ukrainian President Zelensky Attempts to Shake Down U.S. Taxpayers in Exchange for Elections

Next year will be not just an election year here in the United States, but it’s supposed to be one in Ukraine as well. However, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, elections can only happen if, you guessed it… Uncle Sam gives them more money.

In a recent interview, President Zelensky divulged a conversation with Senator Lindsey Graham regarding his desire to have free elections next year in Ukraine and the requirements that will need to be filled to have those elections. One of those requirements is cash.

Why invest in ensuring our elections are free when we can invest in the elections in another country known for political corruption? Let’s take a look at the Ukrainian leader’s latest demands.

The grift

In a recent interview, President Zelensky responded to a conversation he had with a recent visitor to Kiev, Senator Lindsey Graham, on holding elections in 2024.

The Ukrainian President said:

“The logic is that if you are protecting democracy, then you have to think about this protection even during times of war. Elections are one of the protections.”

President Zelensky goes on to say:

“But there is a reason why elections are prohibited by law during wartime – it is very difficult to hold them.”

Ah, yes, democracy is tricky that way. If only it were easier to maintain one of the sweetest principles known to man. 

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The hero of the West went on to say that to hold elections next year, which he claims he desperately wants to do, would require three main things:

1. Legislative changes allowing for elections
2. International observers on the front lines so troops can vote
3. Money money money

All too eager

President Zelensky summarized what he explained to Senator Graham:

“Let’s assume, I told him, you are ready to give me 5 billion because I can’t just take 5 billion from the budget.”

It’s sure nice that Mr. Zelensky promises not to misallocate funds already given to him to make this election happen.

He goes on:

“…it seems to me that this is the amount needed to hold elections in normal times, and in wartime, I don’t know what that amount would be…”

Volodymyr could teach a master class in negotiation; what a fantastic way to leave that door open for more money in the future.

He punctuates his need with the following:

“…if the United States of America together with Europe gives us financial support, then Ukraine will hold elections.”

The best part is what he says about Senator Graham:

“My answer is very simple, and Lindsey and I came up with it very quickly – he was very satisfied.”

I bet he was. 

A poor investment

Senator Graham naturally loved this plan and said he:

“…cannot think of a better investment for the stability of Europe than helping Ukraine survive as an independent, self-governing, Rule of Law-based democracy.”

Good ole’ Lindz sent out the following rallying cry:

“I would encourage all of Ukraine’s allies to help provide the financial and technical assistance to support this effort.”

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Unfortunately for Senator Graham and Mr. Zelensky, the American public is tired of sending unlimited cash to Ukraine. According to a recent CNN poll, 55% of Americans think Congress should not authorize additional funding to support Ukraine.

Additionally, 51% say we have done enough to support Ukraine. With Americans on both sides of the political aisle uneasy about the security of our own elections here in the homeland, it’s hard to think many will be keen to shell out cash to Ukraine to ensure their elections.

A bad argument

Like many Americans, I’ve been living a hectic, busy life. Between navigating the confusing and expensive world of elder care, budgeting a new household at a time when all things needed to make a house a home is overpriced, and raising two kids in a world gone mad, it’s hard to keep up sometimes with what is going on with our political leaders.

I did manage to catch the Republican debate, however, because being a good citizen means carving out time to know what the clowns who believe they deserve our votes are saying.

Fellow millennial and controversial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy said at the debate:

“I find it offensive that we have professional politicians who will make a pilgrimage to Kiev, to their pope, Zelenskyy, without doing the same for the people in Maui or the south side of Chicago.”

This instigated a heated exchange between him and the lady on the stage, neoconservative Nikki Haley, who dropped this crowd-pleaser:

“You have no foreign policy experience, and it shows.”

I don’t know, Nikki; I’m not sure bragging about your foreign policy background or that of your compatriots is a selling argument given the fact that the United States, under the careful clutch of your ilk, has yet to win a war, let alone leave any other country better than how we found it. 

It’s not hard to assume what Nikki would think of sending money to Ukraine to secure elections in the war torn Eastern European country.

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The irony

It’s not lost on me that we live in a country where you can be politically persecuted for questioning the outcome of an election while simultaneously having politicians blabber about democracy in countries known for corruption. The parallels between the United States and Ukraine are downright freaky.

Corruption charges have been levied against three reformers in Ukraine who are holdovers from former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko’s administration. These three individuals are well known for their upstanding reputation, and it seems there isn’t much meat to the bones of the corruption charges.

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Former U.S. federal prosecutor and previous special advisor to Ukraine Bohdan Vitvitksy said of the recent charges:

“I don’t know the extent to which the current prosecutors are listening to or trying to anticipate what Zelensky’s administration might want, but there are definitely signs of a vendetta against Poroshenko and Poroshenko’s people. That’s clear.”

Sound familiar? It should, we’re living it in real time.

But yeah, Lindsey, let’s go ahead and keep sending cash to Ukraine so they can ensure “free” and “fair” elections and let’s keep listening to “experts” in foreign policy like Nikki Haley.