Graham on Ukraine aid pause: 'If we pull the plug on Ukraine, it'd be worse than Afghanistan'

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said on Sunday he is worried about the consequences of suspending aid and intelligence sharing to Ukraine as the fighting continues against Russia.

“Yeah, I am worried about cutting off intelligence and weapons to Ukraine as long as the fighting is going on,” Graham said on Fox News Channel’s “Fox News Sunday.”

“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 continued. “But until we have a ceasefire, I would give Ukraine what they need in terms of intelligence and weapons to themselves.”

Graham has been critical of the way Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky handled the now-infamous Oval Office meeting with President Trump and Vice President Vance.

During the meeting, Zelensky pressed the American leaders on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s history of breaking ceasefire agreements, and, in turn, Trump and Vance berated Zelensky and accused him of being ungrateful for U.S. support. The meeting was broadcast live on television.

The disastrous meeting seemed, at least for the time being, to pause negotiations on a deal to grant the U.S. access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals. Ukraine had been pressing for security assurances in exchange for its resources.

Trump also decided to pause U.S. military and intelligence assistance to Ukraine — a move that has many Republican lawmakers questioning what the U.S. has to gain from it, as they urge the president to reverse course on his decision.

Graham said Sunday he will be introducing legislation to “sanction the hell out of” Russia if they don’t come to the negotiating table.

“In terms of Russia, I will be introducing sanctions on their banking sector and on their energy sector next week, urging them to get to the table if they don't engage in ceasefire and peace talks with the administration. We should sanction the hell out of them. And I'll have legislation to do that next week,” Graham said.

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