Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said Monday on Fox News’ Hannity that Ukraine will likely need to accept ceding land to Russia as part of a negotiated settlement, while crediting President Donald Trump with laying the groundwork for peace.
Host Sean Hannity framed the situation as a choice between a land swap and security guarantees for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Graham agreed, noting that Ukraine cannot completely push Russian forces out of occupied territories. He praised Ukrainian forces for fighting “like tigers” but stressed that American weapons — first delivered under Trump — have allowed Ukraine to remain in the fight.
“People forget that it was Trump who gave Javelins to the Ukrainian military before he left office and that allowed them to stop Russia from taking Kyiv,” Graham said. He explained that U.S. support provided Ukraine with the “qualitative edge” to prevent a total Russian takeover.
Looking ahead, Graham predicted the conflict would end in compromise, comparing it to the decades-long division of East and West Germany during the Cold War. “Ukraine’s going to have to recognize that there will be parts of Ukraine under Russian control. That doesn’t mean transferring title to Russia,” Graham stated.
He emphasized that any settlement must come with firm security guarantees to prevent future invasions. “There can be no end of this war without security guarantees,” Graham said, urging the United States to make clear that another Russian invasion would mean confronting the United States directly.
Graham also stressed that America’s handling of Ukraine has global consequences, warning against any deal that could embolden China to move against Taiwan. He said President Trump is already working to set the conditions for a lasting resolution.
