Senator Lindsey Graham, a strong proponent of Ukraine, died on July 11, shortly after his tenth trip to Kyiv. During this trip, he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and announced he had secured an agreement with the Trump administration to move forward with a bill imposing significant financial penalties on Russia. This legislation, which Graham had long advocated for, would allow the U.S. President to impose tariffs ranging from 0 to 500 percent on nations purchasing Russian crude, oil, gas, and uranium. Graham believed this measure would create substantial leverage over countries like China and India, the largest buyers of Russian fuel, and would garner overwhelming bipartisan support in Congress, with previous versions having 85 signatories.
Graham's motivation stemmed from his belief that such penalties, combined with increased Ukrainian military capabilities, particularly in drone production, could hasten the end of the war. He saw a "magic moment in time" to end the conflict and stated he was more optimistic than ever that the formula was in place. He emphasized that the road to peace passed through Beijing, highlighting China's outsized influence and hoping they would use it for global good. Graham viewed President Vladimir Putin's actions as inconsistent with his words, making the sanctions even more crucial.
During his visit on July 10, Graham also discussed U.S.-Ukraine cooperation on drone production and critical issues like securing U.S. licenses for Ukraine to manufacture Patriot air defense systems locally. He met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy twice in the week leading up to his death. Zelenskyy acknowledged Graham's consistent support, noting his ten visits since the 2022 invasion and hailing him as a "true defender of freedom." International leaders, including NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, also lauded Graham's advocacy for Ukraine and NATO.
