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US Senator Lindsey Graham said on Thursday that the conflict in Ukraine could lead up to NATO and US troops' direct involvement on the ground if Kiev is unsuccessful in "defeating" Russian President Vladimir Putin. 

"I want to end the war in Ukraine by defeating Putin. If you don’t, he keeps going, and we’re going to have a conflict between NATO and Russia, and our troops will be involved," Graham said during remarks on the Senate floor.  

The South Carolina Senator's remarks come in the backdrop of a recent bill introduced by US President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy which would raise the US debt limit in exchange for spending cuts in order to avoid a debt default by June 5. 

Graham said the bill entails negative consequences on military readiness and may jeopardize support for Ukraine. 

He further noted that the US ought to send a "clear signal" to prevent Taiwan's invasion by China - downplaying the One-China policy. 

Read more: US announces new $300mln military assistance package for Ukraine

On May 29, Russia placed US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham on a wanted list over remarks he made during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenksy in Kiev last Friday, in which Graham appeared to be hailing the killing of Russians.

The Senator's comments were exposed in a video of the meeting released by Zelenksy's team.

#Ukrainian President's office published an edited video of US Senator #LindseyGraham in which he can be heard saying, "The Russians are dying" and then saying #US support was the "best money we've ever spent."

After #Russia criticized the remarks, #Ukraine released a full video… pic.twitter.com/4o82b7HojL

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) May 29, 2023

Ukraine's presidential office initially released an edited version of the footage, where Graham was shown saying, "The Russians are dying," followed by stating that the US funding of Kiev is the "best money we've ever spent."

Lindsey Graham: "The Russians are dying... it's the best money we've ever spent." pic.twitter.com/Vn1THUjHmO

— COMBATE |🇵🇷 (@upholdreality) May 27, 2023

Read more: Kiev assured US that F-16s will not be used to target Russian soil: WH

Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova issued an online statement shortly after Graham's provoking remarks were released, saying "If Senator Graham himself, a participant in the events at Bankova Street, thinks that his words were taken out of context and he did not mean them, he has every opportunity to make a statement. Pick up a phone, record a video."

Russian MFA Spox Maria Zakharova to @LindseyGrahamSC:

💬 If Senator Graham himself, a participant in the events at Bankova St., thinks that his words were taken out of context & he did not mean them, he has every opportunity to make a statement. Pick up a phone, record a video pic.twitter.com/oXU8v1E5BS

— MFA Russia 🇷🇺 (@mfa_russia) May 29, 2023