Senator Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., issued a warning on Sunday about the potentially dire consequences for Ukraine if the Trump administration fails to resume military aid and intelligence sharing with the country.
During an interview on Fox News Sunday, Graham emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, “If we pull the plug on Ukraine while the fighting is still ongoing, it would be worse than Afghanistan.”
He continued, “Until we have a ceasefire, I would ensure Ukraine receives the intelligence and weapons they need to defend themselves.” Graham also announced plans to introduce sanctions on Russia’s banking and energy sectors next week, urging them to come to the negotiation table. “If they refuse to engage in ceasefire and peace talks with the administration, we should hit them with severe sanctions,” he added.
Graham’s remarks come after the Trump administration paused military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine, which had just observed the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion across Ukraine’s eastern border. The suspension of U.S. assistance followed a tense Oval Office meeting between President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, which devolved into a heated argument. In the wake of that confrontation, Russia has ramped up its attacks on Ukraine.
Zelenskyy had visited the White House to sign a deal that would have granted the U.S. ownership of certain minerals in Ukraine. However, he left without an agreement after demanding security guarantees, while Trump and Vance accused him of failing to show sufficient gratitude for the U.S.’s ongoing support.
“We’re trying to integrate our economies. We want to ensure that Ukraine benefits the American economy — a win-win situation,” said Graham, who had previously called for Zelenskyy’s resignation following the tense Oval Office meeting.
Both U.S. and Ukrainian officials are preparing for talks in Saudi Arabia this week to discuss a potential minerals deal and a ceasefire with Russia. However, Trump has made it clear that he expects more than just the minerals agreement in return for resuming aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine.
In a separate interview on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures, Trump responded to questions about the minerals deal, saying, “I think so. I think it’ll happen.”
Trump also defended his record on Russia, responding to criticism that he hasn’t been tough enough, telling host Maria Bartiromo, “I’ve been very tough on Russia, tougher than anybody has ever been.”
Leading up to the Oval Office meeting, Trump and Zelenskyy exchanged sharp words, with Trump calling Zelenskyy a “dictator” and suggesting that Ukraine, not Russia, was responsible for starting the war.
