Sen. Lindsey Graham (Rs.C.) took to social media on Saturday to commend the Trump administration’s attempts to facilitate a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine over three years after the conflict commenced.
“I am truly thankful that [Trump] and his team worked hard to bring an end to the war in Ukraine – initiated by [Russian President Vladimir] “Putin’s reckless invasion,” Graham stated in a post on Social Platform X, alluding to the possibility of increased sanctions against Moscow from both lawmakers and the White House.
“Regarding additional sanctions on Russia, we have bipartisan legislation supported by nearly 60 lawmakers that impose secondary tariffs on nations importing Russian oil, gas, uranium, or other goods,” he mentioned, adding, “The Senate is poised to act in this regard and will do so expansively if Russia fails to comply.”
His remarks followed shortly after Trump met with Ukrainian President Voldimi Zelensky ahead of Pope Francis’ funeral. This marked their first face-to-face discussion since a heated meeting at the White House earlier in the year, as the Trump administration pressured Zelensky to finalize a pending minerals trade agreement.
Recently, Trump voiced his discontent with both Putin and Zelensky amid the sluggish progress of peace discussions between Eastern European nations.
On Thursday, Russia executed a deadly strike in Ukraine. This occurred after Trump publicly criticized Ukrainian leaders, asserting he would never acknowledge Russia’s claims over Crimea. Following a drone attack in Kiev that resulted in at least eight fatalities, he directed his frustration towards Putin.
“I am not pleased with Russia’s assault on Kiev,” Trump remarked on Truth Social. “Unwarranted, very poor timing. Vladimir, stop! 5,000 soldiers are perishing each week. Let’s finalize the peace agreement!”
On Saturday, he acknowledged that the Russian leader might be attempting to deceive him.
Graham, who collaborated a screenshot of Trump’s post, has been an advocate for ongoing support for Ukraine, which is a somewhat atypical stance within the GOP.
“If we withdraw support from Ukraine, it would be worse than Afghanistan. I don’t believe President Trump intends to do that,” he asserted last month following Zelensky’s abrupt exit.
“However, until a ceasefire is established, I will continue to provide Ukraine with the necessary intelligence and weaponry,” he noted during that time.
The White House initially paused aid to Ukraine due to differing opinions but later reinstated it. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President Vance have also recently warned that the United States might withdraw from negotiations if a deal does not materialize soon.
