'The game is about to change' — Republican Senator Graham expects influx of US weapons shipments to Ukraine, ahead of Trump's 'major' announcement
U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham said in an interview with CBS News on July 13 that he expects an influx of U.S. weapons shipments to Ukraine to begin "in the coming days," as U.S. President Donald Trump prepares to make a "major statement" on the war in Ukraine on July 14.
Graham, a key ally of Trump and one of Congress' staunchest supporters of Ukraine, told CBS News' Face the Nation that U.S. military support for Ukraine will ramp up, marking the first time since Trump took office in January that new supports for Ukraine are expected.
"The game, regarding Putin's invasion of Russia, is about to change. I expect, in the coming days, you will see weapons flowing at a record level to help Ukraine defend themselves," Graham said, adding that "the idea of America selling weapons to help Ukraine is very much in play."
Trump said on July 10 he intends to make a "major" announcement on Russia on July 14, potentially signifying a major policy shift on the war in Ukraine as relations with the Kremlin sour.
"I think I'll have a major statement to make on Russia on Monday," Trump told NBC News, without elaborating on the nature of the statement. "I'm disappointed in Russia, but we'll see what happens over the next couple of weeks," Trump added.
Trump also told NBC News that the U.S. had struck a new arrangement with NATO, to transfer American weapons to Ukraine. The alliance's Secretary General Mark Rutte is set visit Washington on July 14-15, although NATO's press service did not state the purpose for the trip.
Graham added that he expects Trump to exercise Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) to deliver weapons shipments previously approved by former President Joe Biden. "Well, the $4 billion and not nearly enough," he said, referring to the remaining PDA stockpiles.
Sources told Reuters on July 10 that Trump will authorize sending weapons to Kyiv using PDA. The U.S. president is also reportedly considering authorizing additional funding for Ukraine for the first time since the start of his term.
Relations between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trump have waned in recent weeks, as Moscow refuses to agree to a peace deal in Ukraine. Trump has criticized Putin in recent days in a change rhetoric towards the Kremlin, as Russia continues large-scale attacks against Ukrainian cities.
Despite little progress on securing a peace deal, Trump has thus far refused to implement additional pressure on Moscow through new sanctions.
Graham, the co-author of a bill to impose harsher sanctions on Russia and buyers of Russian fossil fuels, told CBS News he expects "that there will be tariffs and sanctions available to President Trump he has never had before." Despite the comments, Trump has insisted that the bill pass with a waiver president ultimate authority over U.S. foreign policy.
"In the coming days and weeks, there's going to be a massive effort to get Putin to the table. And to those who are helping him, China, buying cheap Russian oil and having no accountability, those days are about over," Graham concluded.
Since taking office in January, Trump's stance on supporting Ukraine has been characterized by inconsistency. While at times he has criticized U.S. spending and expressed favorable views of Russia, he has also voiced support for Kyiv and disparaged the Kremlin.
Earlier this month, the Trump administration had temporarily halted shipments of some critical weapons that had been approved by the Biden administration, though some of those deliveries have since resumed.
