A few days before his sudden death, American Senator Lindsey Graham visited Kyiv. This trip gave him the opportunity to voice key points about Ukraine's future, the paths to ending the war, and the role of American support. His words, spoken in the Ukrainian capital, became the final major statement from one of Kyiv's most active allies in the US Congress.
The Formula for Pressure on the Kremlin
During a briefing in Kyiv, Graham outlined a strategy that, in his view, could lead to the desired result. The senator stated that a bill on new tough sanctions against Russia, coordinated with the White House, must become one of the main tools of pressure on the Kremlin.
According to the politician, in order to force Vladimir Putin to sit at the negotiating table, a combination of several factors is necessary:
- Introduction of new tough economic sanctions;
- Strengthening of Ukraine's air defense system;
- Economic pressure on countries that continue to purchase Russian energy carriers.
"I have never been more optimistic than today about the fact that we have a formula to end this war," Graham emphasized, expressing confidence in the effectiveness of the chosen course.
Drones as a Factor of Victory
The senator paid special attention to the technological aspect of the conflict. After visiting the Ukrainian enterprise SkyFall, Graham highly praised the development of unmanned technologies in the country. He called Ukrainian developments some of the most modern in the world and stated that a US refusal to cooperate with Ukraine in this area would be a "huge mistake".
"It would be a huge mistake for America not to cooperate with Ukraine in the field of drones. They are ready to help us because we were ready to stand by Ukraine in its darkest days," Graham noted.
The senator emphasized that it was precisely innovations that allowed the Ukrainian army to compensate for the numerical superiority of the enemy, turning technological superiority into a tactical one.
Diplomacy as the Final Note
Despite optimism regarding successes on the battlefield, Graham was categorical on one issue: the final end of the war must occur through diplomacy.
"You are not going to win this war exclusively on the battlefield. However, Ukraine is indeed putting a lot of pressure on Russia. My hope is to end this war through diplomacy. And the more leverage we have on Putin, the better," the senator declared.
These words became some of Lindsey Graham's last public statements on Ukraine. He died on the evening of July 11 after a brief sudden illness. From the very beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion, Graham remained one of the most consistent and active allies of Ukraine in the American parliament.