When President Trump welcomed Putin onto American soil for peace talks, Putin responded less than two weeks later with a massive bombardment of Kyiv that killed more than 20 civilians.
When President Trump pressured Ukraine to make territorial concessions to Russia, Putin turned around and provided Iran with intelligence to help target American servicemembers.
And when President Trump secured his diesel deal with Putin, the Kremlin responded by continuing to strike Ukraine’s energy infrastructure — despite the president’s calls for an energy ceasefire.
Just last week, Russian forces also bombed buses full of innocent civilians, killing more than 30 people, in violation of international law.
Time and again, we have seen how Putin responds to American concessions: with contempt for the United States and increased violence against innocent Ukrainians.
Lindsey Graham understood this dynamic. That's why he and I spent his final years fighting to give the president the tools to put maximum pressure on Putin and bring him to the negotiating table. I urge the president to reverse course, use these sanctions, and return to the time-tested principle that lasting peace is secured through strength — not accommodation.