Sen. Lindsey Graham: Trump Ready to 'Crush' Russia's Economy if Putin Avoids Talks with Zelensky
Graham, who spoke with Trump on Tuesday morning, has pushed the president for months to support his sweeping bipartisan sanctions bill.
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham said Tuesday that President Donald Trump is prepared to take severe economic measures against Russia if Russian President Vladimir Putin refuses to engage in talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
According to Graham, who spoke with Trump earlier on Tuesday, the imposition of new sanctions would target countries that continue to support Russia through oil, gas, uranium, and other exports.
The proposed legislation has garnered significant bipartisan support from 85 senators; however, Trump has yet to endorse it, relying on Republican leaders for approval.The Senate is currently in recess, scheduled to reconvene in September, which creates a pressing timeline for resolving the situation.
Graham emphasized that if progress towards peace with Russia does not manifest within this timeframe, then 'plan B,' which involves more aggressive economic action against Russia, must be activated.
This development reflects escalating pressure on both Putin and Trump.Following high-stakes meetings at the White House with Zelensky and European leaders, there was an initial sense of optimism regarding a potential meeting between Putin and Zelensky.
Nonetheless, concerns persist due to the lack of concrete progress in resolving the main obstacles to peace.
This deadlock benefits Putin as his forces continue to advance gradually within Ukraine.European leaders such as French President Emmanuel Macron stated that Trump believes achieving a deal with Putin is still possible; however, the threat of sanctions remains on the table should the negotiations fail.
Despite these uncertainties, many European leaders expressed satisfaction with the meetings at the White House and remain hopeful about the prospect of peace.
According to Graham, who spoke with Trump earlier on Tuesday, the imposition of new sanctions would target countries that continue to support Russia through oil, gas, uranium, and other exports.
The proposed legislation has garnered significant bipartisan support from 85 senators; however, Trump has yet to endorse it, relying on Republican leaders for approval.The Senate is currently in recess, scheduled to reconvene in September, which creates a pressing timeline for resolving the situation.
Graham emphasized that if progress towards peace with Russia does not manifest within this timeframe, then 'plan B,' which involves more aggressive economic action against Russia, must be activated.
This development reflects escalating pressure on both Putin and Trump.Following high-stakes meetings at the White House with Zelensky and European leaders, there was an initial sense of optimism regarding a potential meeting between Putin and Zelensky.
Nonetheless, concerns persist due to the lack of concrete progress in resolving the main obstacles to peace.
This deadlock benefits Putin as his forces continue to advance gradually within Ukraine.European leaders such as French President Emmanuel Macron stated that Trump believes achieving a deal with Putin is still possible; however, the threat of sanctions remains on the table should the negotiations fail.
Despite these uncertainties, many European leaders expressed satisfaction with the meetings at the White House and remain hopeful about the prospect of peace.
