Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) took to social media on Saturday to laud the Trump administration’s efforts to broker a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, more than three years after the war began.
“I very much appreciate [Trump] and his team working diligently to end the war in Ukraine — that was created by [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s barbaric invasion — in an honorable and just way,” Graham wrote in a post on social platform X, while referring to a recent threat of additional sanctions on Moscow from lawmakers and the White House.
“As to additional sanctions on Putin’s Russia, I have bipartisan legislation with almost 60 cosponsors that would put secondary tariffs on any country that purchases Russian oil, gas, uranium or other products,” he wrote, adding, “The Senate stands ready to move in this direction and will do so overwhelmingly if Russia does not embrace an honorable, just and enduring peace.”
His comments come just hours after Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Vatican City, before the two leaders attended Pope Francis’s funeral. The exchange, their first face-to-face interaction since a fiery meeting at the White House earlier this year, came as the Trump administration has upped pressure on Zelensky to sign a pending mineral deal.
Trump has in recent days expressed frustration with both Putin and Zelensky as peace talks between the Eastern European nations have been slow-moving.
Russia launched deadly strikes in Ukraine on Thursday, after Trump lavished criticism on the Ukrainian leader for saying he would never recognize Russia’s occupation of Crimea. Following the drone attack in Kyiv — which killed at least eight people — the president turned his ire on Putin.
“I am not happy with the Russian strikes on KYIV,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “Not necessary, and very bad timing. Vladimir, STOP! 5000 soldiers a week are dying. Lets get the Peace Deal DONE!”
On Saturday, he acknowledged the Russian leader may be trying to swindle him — a stark contrast from what he said nearly a week ago.
Graham, who shared a screenshot of Trump’s post, has been a vocal supporter of ongoing aid to Ukraine — a somewhat rare voice in the GOP.
“If we pull the plug on Ukraine, it’d be worse than Afghanistan. I don’t think President Trump has any desire to do that,” he said last month, after the Oval Office spat led to Zelensky’s abrupt departure.
“But until we have a ceasefire, I would give Ukraine what they need in terms of intelligence and weapons to themselves,” he added at the time.
The White House initially froze aid to Ukraine following the disagreement, but it was later restored. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President Vance have also recently threatened to pull the U.S. from the negotiating table if a deal isn’t reached soon.
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