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Graham stated, “The one thing I can tell you: Putin could give a damn about sanctions. He evades them and doesn’t care about how many Russians die.” He emphasized that the goal should be to “crush” his customers, including India, China, and Brazil.
President Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign repeatedly pledged to end the conflict in Ukraine quickly once he took office. However, Trump soon realized the situation was more complex than anticipated. By April, Trump began to publicly question whether Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom he often claimed had a close relationship with, was “just tapping him along” while pretending to seek peace.
In May, Trump declared, “I don’t know what the hell happened to Putin. I’ve known him a long time, but he’s sending rockets into cities and killing people, and I don’t like it at all.”
Graham argued that raising tariffs on countries buying Russian oil was one way to hurt Putin and force him to negotiate. He said, “The whole goal is to crush his customers, India, China, and Brazil. If you keep buying Putin’s oil and prop up his war machine, you will be denied access to our economy.”
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Trump threatened to raise tariffs on India for its large purchases of Russian oil, stating, “Because of this, I will be substantially raising the Tariff paid by India to the USA.”
Graham also mentioned that the U.S. is considering the European allies’ input ahead of Trump’s meeting with Putin in Alaska, saying, “If it ends in a way that looks like Putin’s overly rewarded, there goes Taiwan.” He added, “You can’t end a war without talking. I do hope that Zelensky can be part of the process.”
Graham suggested that an ending might include “some land swaps,” but he stressed that these swaps would only occur after security guarantees are provided to Ukraine.
Former National Security Advisor John Bolton criticized Trump’s approach, stating that his leniency on China and heavy-handed tariffs on India jeopardize decades of American efforts to bring India away from Russia. Counselor to the President Peter Navarro agreed, writing that “India hits us with some of the highest tariffs in the world, sells us goods, and uses our money to buy Russian oil—which funds Russia’s war.”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed Trump’s efforts to stop the killing in Ukraine but emphasized that diplomacy combined with continued pressure on Russia is necessary for a just and lasting peace.
Trump will meet with Putin in Alaska on Monday, aiming to make significant progress toward ending the conflict in Ukraine.
📚 Reading Comprehension Quiz
According to Graham, what is the primary goal in dealing with Russia’s war machine?
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