Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) on Sunday argued in favor of continued aid to Ukraine to assist in its effort to repel Russia’s invasion. He highlighted the urgency of the matter, repeating claims that Russian President Putin will continue conquering more territory if he wins the war.
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Graham’s comments come just after the House passed a bill to send $60.8 billion in taxpayer money to fund Ukraine’s war effort. During an appearance on “Fox News Sunday,” the lawmaker warned that “If you give Putin Ukraine, he will not stop,” and that “If you give him Ukraine, there goes Taiwan because China’s watching to see what we do.”
Graham, a vocal supporter of Ukraine, was discussing the Senate’s two-year reauthorization of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act’s (FISA) warrantless surveillance program. The legislation extends the government’s ability to spy on foreigners located abroad for another two years. The process has faced some scrutiny from privacy hawks as it also sweeps up communications of Americans they are in contact with.
The senator praised Ukraine’s efforts against Russia and the role U.S. aid has played in the conflict, noting that Ukraine’s military “has killed about 50 percent of the combat power of the Russians” and stressed that “They’re going to have more weapons, but we also want them to have new weapons.”
Graham went on to counter arguments that the United States cannot financially support Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan simultaneously. “So this idea that we can’t help Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan at the same time, I reject that. I reject it totally,” he said.
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House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has faced biting criticism for working with Democrats to pass the foreign aid package to overcome conservative Republicans arguing against it. Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Thomas Massie (R-KY) savaged the speaker in posts on X. Both lawmakers have threatened to push a motion to vacate to strip Johnson of his position as speaker over foreign aid and the reauthorization of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
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Congress has also been criticized for passing legislation to assist other nations while ignoring issues happening in America, specifically the border crisis. In fact, Border Patrol agents have complained about the issue.
The Senate is expected to take up the matter of foreign aid to Ukraine and Israel this coming week.