Graham Delivers Senate Floor Speech on Confronting Russia's Aggression

[00:00:01] Thank you very much. Um, [00:00:04] couple of topics I'd like to talk about. [00:00:06] First, the government shutdown. I don't [00:00:08] know what my friends on the other side [00:00:11] expect. [00:00:13] We will talk about [00:00:16] the Affordable Care Act at the right [00:00:18] time, starting with the idea it's not [00:00:20] affordable. [00:00:22] And uh, you created a law without any [00:00:25] Republican votes. you had the subsidies [00:00:28] expire. That was your choice. Uh most of [00:00:33] us believe that the Obamacare program [00:00:36] you created is very expensive [00:00:41] and we're not going to extend it. We [00:00:44] would look at trying to make it better. [00:00:49] Uh the president has a brilliant idea [00:00:52] about how better to use the money to [00:00:54] help consumers. Uh, Senator Marshall [00:00:57] just left. So, we're not going to, [00:01:00] whether you open the government up or [00:01:02] not, I'm not going to change my vote. [00:01:04] I'm not going to vote to authorize these [00:01:07] subsidies as they are. I'm not going to [00:01:09] vote to repeal the good work we did um [00:01:13] under the big beautiful bill. So, let's [00:01:17] open up the government and talk. And if [00:01:19] you don't want to do that, then a lot of [00:01:21] people gonna have their lives turned up [00:01:22] down turned upside down for no good [00:01:25] reason because I don't feel like we [00:01:28] should be held hostage here to get a [00:01:30] legislative outcome to open up the [00:01:32] government. We tried that as [00:01:33] Republicans. Um you got to build the [00:01:35] wall or we won't open the government. [00:01:37] It's probably not a good idea for us. [00:01:39] Didn't work out well for us and [00:01:42] nothing else. Learned from what we did. [00:01:44] Uh so I'm hoping the government will [00:01:46] open soon. [00:01:49] dangerous time to have the federal [00:01:50] government not functioning in the [00:01:53] security space. Um, it's danger for air [00:01:56] travel, but if you haven't noticed, the [00:01:58] world is a pretty dangerous place. So, I [00:02:00] want to talk about two things. China and [00:02:03] Russia. [00:02:05] President Trump is traveling to South [00:02:08] Korea, and I think he's going to meet [00:02:11] the Chinese uh, President Xi. [00:02:16] I don't mind talking with people that I [00:02:18] disagree with. I like the fact that [00:02:21] President Trump has reached out to [00:02:23] adversaries, try to found common ground [00:02:26] to end conflicts that have been very [00:02:28] destructive. So when it comes to [00:02:30] President Trump and Russia, he's made a [00:02:33] fullcourt press to try to get Russia uh [00:02:36] at the table to find a way to end the [00:02:38] bloodbath in Ukraine to make it an [00:02:42] outcome that's acceptable to all [00:02:44] parties. I don't think President Trump's [00:02:47] out to humiliate humiliate Putin at all, [00:02:50] but he does want to end the war in a way [00:02:52] that we don't have a third invasion. [00:02:54] So I appreciate what he's done and it's [00:02:57] been very aggressive effort to engage [00:03:01] the parties. [00:03:03] In the past we kind of ignored Putin. I [00:03:06] don't think that's the right solution. [00:03:08] But we've come to a point now [00:03:11] where every time President Trump talks [00:03:14] about a proposal to end the bloodbath, [00:03:18] Putin has a reason not to get there. The [00:03:21] latest proposal by President Trump is to [00:03:26] have a ceasefire in place. Stop the [00:03:29] fighting, stop the killing at the line [00:03:31] of contact, go back to your respective [00:03:34] sides, and we'll sit down and find a way [00:03:36] forward to get a comprehensive deal. [00:03:39] That's the best proposal I've heard from [00:03:41] anybody. Ukraine said yes. Europe said [00:03:44] yes. Putin says no. Putin continues to [00:03:48] attack Ukraine. [00:03:50] uh they show no indication of wanting to [00:03:53] stop this war until they meet their war [00:03:56] aims. Well, let me tell Russia, your war [00:03:59] aims are not going to be accepted by the [00:04:01] United States and Ukraine. [00:04:05] Um Putin said today that he would [00:04:08] respond fiercely if we increase the [00:04:11] lethality of the Ukrainian military. [00:04:14] Well, you said that a lot. [00:04:18] I want the war to end. I don't want [00:04:21] anything Russia has. I just want the war [00:04:24] to end in an honorable and just way. [00:04:28] So if you expect Ukraine to give you [00:04:32] territory that you don't occupy today, [00:04:35] that would create a pathway to Kev in [00:04:37] the future, make them very vulnerable to [00:04:40] a third invasion, that's not going to [00:04:42] happen. And I know Putin could care less [00:04:45] about how many Russians die. [00:04:47] They say a million casualties. I don't [00:04:49] know. Who knows? I know this. His uh [00:04:53] respect for life is pretty low. North [00:04:57] Koreans, people from all over the [00:04:59] Russian provinces have been thrown into [00:05:02] a meat grinder. And he could really care [00:05:04] less. He does care about his own [00:05:06] lifestyle. [00:05:08] Beyond that, I don't think he cares [00:05:10] less. Could care less. His economy is [00:05:14] selling cheap oil and gas to fuel his [00:05:19] war machine. [00:05:21] So he's selling gas and oil well below [00:05:24] market prices. Putin to get the money to [00:05:28] continue the attack on Ukraine. [00:05:32] So, President Trump and myself and many [00:05:35] of us here are suggesting to those who [00:05:38] buy cheap Russian oil and gas, [00:05:42] stop it so we can find a way to get [00:05:45] Putin to the peace table. The largest [00:05:47] three customers buying Russian oil and [00:05:51] gas [00:05:52] that do not help Ukraine are China, [00:05:56] India, and Brazil. [00:05:59] If those three customers told Putin, [00:06:02] it's time to wind this war down, [00:06:06] then I think the war would be over [00:06:07] pretty quickly because without oil and [00:06:10] gas money, he can't prosecute the war. [00:06:15] I understand wanting to buy cheap [00:06:17] Russian oil, [00:06:19] but I don't understand a country [00:06:22] that buys cheap Russian oil knowing it's [00:06:25] going to be used to kill innocent people [00:06:29] and acquire land from others by force of [00:06:31] arms. [00:06:33] I've been told that our friends in India [00:06:35] are very proud. You have a lot to be [00:06:37] proud of. I've been told that our [00:06:39] friends in India are trying to find a [00:06:41] way to be less dependent on Russian oil. [00:06:45] To our friends in India, well done. [00:06:48] Before the invasion by Putin, India was [00:06:51] buying 3% of their oil from Russia. [00:06:54] After the invasion, it went up to almost [00:06:56] 30%. Why? They were buying it below [00:07:00] market prices from Russia, refining it [00:07:03] in India, and selling it at a profit. [00:07:06] That's not something to be proud of. I'm [00:07:09] hopeful that you're going to abandon [00:07:11] that practice to get us to a place where [00:07:13] we can end the war in Russia and stop [00:07:17] the killing. [00:07:19] So, there's some progress there. As to [00:07:22] China, [00:07:24] if President Xi called Putin tomorrow [00:07:27] and said, "It's now time to wind this [00:07:29] conflict down. [00:07:31] You need to get to the peace table." I [00:07:34] think Putin would would not have much of [00:07:36] a um choice. China is the number one [00:07:39] customer of uh Russian oil. If they made [00:07:44] a decision tomorrow to change that [00:07:46] practice, then I think Putin's ability [00:07:48] to prosecute the war would hit a wall. [00:07:51] Now, President Trump is going to talk to [00:07:53] she hopefully here soon. There'll be a [00:07:57] lot of issues on the table. As to China, [00:08:00] it's a communist dictatorship. I'm no [00:08:03] fan of the Chinese Communist Party. To [00:08:06] say otherwise would be misleading. [00:08:08] Having said that, there's times that we [00:08:10] can do business with China for the [00:08:12] betterment of all of us. This is one of [00:08:15] those times. [00:08:17] I am hoping that when President Trump [00:08:19] meets with President Xi, if that [00:08:21] happens, that he will be able to [00:08:23] persuade President Xi, it's now time to [00:08:26] end the blood bath in Ukraine. I need [00:08:29] your help to get Putin to the table. [00:08:32] and to China. If you were able to do [00:08:34] that, I think it would open up [00:08:36] opportunities between you, the United [00:08:38] States, China, the United States, and [00:08:41] the Western world to have a better [00:08:42] relationship. [00:08:44] If China wants to be a [00:08:47] meaningful member of the international [00:08:49] community and wanted to be wants to be [00:08:52] treated better, then act better. If you [00:08:55] want to be treated normally, act normal. [00:08:59] So to China, [00:09:01] you have the power [00:09:04] to help end this war. [00:09:07] I would urge you to work with President [00:09:09] Trump to achieve that goal. It will make [00:09:12] the world a better place and I think it [00:09:14] will to the benefit of China. [00:09:18] Sanctions were put on the two largest [00:09:20] oil companies in Russia yesterday by [00:09:23] Secretary Bessant at the direction of [00:09:26] President Trump. I think President Trump [00:09:29] has come to believe that Putin doesn't [00:09:32] want a ceasefire at the line of contact [00:09:36] and everybody but him does. And I hope [00:09:39] President Trump's new policy will be. [00:09:41] I'm not going to talk to Russia anymore [00:09:44] until they agree to a ceasefire at the [00:09:46] line of contact like Ukraine has. Once [00:09:48] that agreement's reached, then we can [00:09:50] sit down and try to end this war. [00:09:52] I hope you'll tell President Xi that you [00:09:56] have the chance to help me in this war. [00:09:58] Please do. [00:10:00] I along with the presiding officer of [00:10:02] the Senate, many of us, 85 co-sponsors, [00:10:06] we have legislation allowing President [00:10:08] Trump at his choice to impose tariffs on [00:10:12] countries that buy cheap Russian oil to [00:10:14] prop up Putin's war machine that don't [00:10:16] help Ukraine. And that would be China. [00:10:19] So, President Trump has used tariffs [00:10:21] robustly. I think to the benefit of our [00:10:23] country. [00:10:26] If he decides to go down the road of [00:10:28] going after Putin's customers, he would [00:10:32] have the blessing of the Congress, [00:10:35] the House, and the Senate. I can't think [00:10:37] of an issue that's brought us together [00:10:40] as a body in the Senate more than the [00:10:42] desire to end this war [00:10:45] uh in Ukraine and to use all the tools [00:10:48] available to help President Trump get [00:10:51] Putin's attention. The fact that [00:10:53] Democratic colleagues who are probably [00:10:56] not a big fan of this president are [00:10:59] willing to empower the president to have [00:11:01] tariff authority given to him by the [00:11:04] Congress. that would be bulletproof in [00:11:07] court. Speaks well to them and it speaks [00:11:11] loudly to the idea that the Senate is [00:11:14] united when it comes to standing up to [00:11:16] Putin and those who prop him up to end [00:11:19] this bloodbath. [00:11:21] This bill has been around for a long [00:11:23] time. People ask me all the time, what's [00:11:26] going to happen? I think President Trump [00:11:28] has made a decision [00:11:31] that a ceasefire in place is the right [00:11:33] way to start discussions about how to [00:11:36] end the war. And I hope he will stick [00:11:39] with that position. I will expect the [00:11:41] Senate to move the legislation I just [00:11:44] described, the Russian Sanctions Act [00:11:47] that allows secondary tariffs against [00:11:49] countries that buy cheap Russian oil. I [00:11:51] would expect us to move that fairly [00:11:54] soon. The Senate also has passed [00:11:56] legislation making Russia a state [00:11:59] sponsor of terrorism under US law. There [00:12:01] are four countries that fall in that [00:12:03] category. Russia would be the fifth for [00:12:07] kidnapping over 19,000 Ukrainian [00:12:09] children in the occupied areas. [00:12:12] This is a very big deal to many of us. [00:12:14] We've gone to Ukraine. We've heard the [00:12:16] stories that Russia has occupied about [00:12:19] 20some percent of Ukraine and they've [00:12:23] literally taken Ukrainian children from [00:12:26] their families, sent them to Russia and [00:12:28] indoctrination camps to turn these [00:12:30] Ukrainian children against their own [00:12:32] country. It's despicable. And it's not [00:12:35] 200. I do believe the number is closer [00:12:38] to 20,000. We have a lot of evidence and [00:12:40] I'll have a hearing in the foreign um uh [00:12:43] operation subcommittee about it. But the [00:12:48] bill making Russia state sponsor of [00:12:50] terrorism for kidnapping the children [00:12:52] went through the foreign relations [00:12:54] committee yesterday unanimously. [00:12:58] It's ready to come to the floor. And I [00:13:01] can't think of a better description [00:13:05] of Putin's Russia than a state sponsor [00:13:07] of terrorism. [00:13:09] You've earned that distinction. Now, if [00:13:12] you'll turn the children over, that goes [00:13:14] away. But he denies really the fact that [00:13:17] he's taken Ukrainian children away from [00:13:20] their families to Russia. He's lying. [00:13:25] He's lying through his teeth. So, that's [00:13:28] coming. [00:13:29] And there are $300 billion of frozen [00:13:32] Russian assets overseas. And we have [00:13:35] legislation here, Senator Kennedy and [00:13:37] others, [00:13:39] uh, that would take that money [00:13:41] for the benefit of Ukraine. [00:13:44] All three of these pieces of legislation [00:13:47] are ripe. They're ready to go. And after [00:13:51] this last rebuff by Putin of President [00:13:55] Trump, now's the time to act. There was [00:13:58] supposed to be a meeting in Budapest [00:14:01] between President Trump and President [00:14:03] Putin. Well, that is off now because the [00:14:08] goal was to have a ceasefire at the line [00:14:11] of contact. Ukraine said yes [00:14:13] immediately. [00:14:14] Comes to find that Russia has not [00:14:17] changed its position at all. So, I don't [00:14:19] think that meeting is going to occur and [00:14:21] that's a good thing. No more meeting [00:14:23] Putin until he changes his behavior. I [00:14:27] think now's the time to put pressure on [00:14:29] Putin's war machine u economically. Now [00:14:33] is the time to make Ukraine more lethal [00:14:36] when it comes to defending itself. The [00:14:39] Tomahawks. President Trump is right. [00:14:41] It's a complicated weapon system. But I [00:14:44] would like to see some tomahawks [00:14:46] transferred to Europe and start a [00:14:48] training program so that Ukrainians one [00:14:51] day would be able to utilize these [00:14:52] weapons. Now, why do we want that [00:14:55] weapon? It could go deep into Russia and [00:14:58] knock out factories that make drones [00:15:00] that come from Iran [00:15:03] and to uh destroy missile factories that [00:15:06] are used to terrorize the Ukrainian [00:15:08] people at night. [00:15:11] Um, I think we have a moment here [00:15:16] to act decisively with our European [00:15:18] partners. I appreciate what President [00:15:21] Trump has done to try to solve this [00:15:23] conflict through diplomacy. I appreciate [00:15:26] what he's done to make Ukraine more [00:15:28] lethal, providing more weapons by [00:15:30] selling to Europe weapons to the benefit [00:15:33] of Ukraine. I appreciate the sanctions [00:15:36] that were imposed yesterday and I think [00:15:38] they're having a beneficial effect [00:15:40] already, [00:15:41] but I think we need to do more. [00:15:45] So, as President Trump engages President [00:15:48] Xi, it is my hope that the Chinese will [00:15:51] change their position about this war and [00:15:55] work with President Trump to get Putin's [00:15:57] attention to find a way to end the [00:16:00] bloodbath honorably and justly. Now, why [00:16:03] do I keep talking about China? There is [00:16:06] no way Putin can prosecute this war if [00:16:10] China decided to isolate Russia and stop [00:16:13] buying their oil. And we would find ways [00:16:17] to help China with their oil needs so [00:16:21] they wouldn't be at a loss. [00:16:25] If that happened, then this war would [00:16:27] end pretty quickly. So to President [00:16:30] Trump, good luck. I'm glad you're [00:16:34] talking to to China about a bunch of [00:16:37] things, including trade. I'm sure you'll [00:16:40] talk about the recent efforts of the [00:16:42] Chinese Communist Party to go after [00:16:45] Christians in an unprecedented way in [00:16:48] China. The Christian church is under [00:16:50] assault. We have a lot of differences [00:16:53] with China. But if China wants to change [00:16:56] its relationship with the United States, [00:16:59] you have a chance in the next few days [00:17:01] to do it in a positive way. [00:17:04] And to to China, [00:17:07] if I and others believed [00:17:10] that you used your influence with Putin [00:17:13] to end this bloodbath in Ukraine, it [00:17:16] would be the benefit of you over time. I [00:17:21] would respond differently than I have in [00:17:23] the past. I think Western Europe would [00:17:25] respond differently than they have in [00:17:27] the past. So, this is an opportunity for [00:17:30] China to do something good for the [00:17:33] world. You have it in your power to get [00:17:37] Putin's attention unlike anybody else on [00:17:39] the planet. I would urge you to use that [00:17:43] power to end the bloodbath. [00:17:47] And if you choose to continue to buy [00:17:49] cheap Russian oil [00:17:53] to fuel Putin's war machine to benefit [00:17:57] your economy, [00:17:58] then you should not be surprised that we [00:18:01] push back hard. [00:18:04] It's your choice. [00:18:06] But I am speaking for most everybody in [00:18:09] this body [00:18:11] where we believe the time has come [00:18:14] for China, India and Brazil to stop [00:18:17] profiting off this war. [00:18:20] The time has come to end this bloodbath. [00:18:23] And to China, India and Brazil, you have [00:18:26] the power if you intend if you would use [00:18:29] it to get Putin's attention like no one [00:18:31] else on the planet. to India, you're [00:18:34] definitely moving in the right [00:18:35] direction. China made some announcements [00:18:37] today about maybe reducing their [00:18:40] purchases of Russian oil. All of this is [00:18:43] good. And the reason I keep talking [00:18:46] about this is I've concluded that unlike [00:18:49] anybody else on the planet, China can, [00:18:53] if they choose to, help us end this war [00:18:56] better than anybody. So, I'm appealing [00:18:59] to President Xi to help President Trump [00:19:04] end a war that should have been ended a [00:19:06] long time ago. And I'm very concerned if [00:19:10] this war continues, [00:19:13] then the relationship between the United [00:19:16] States, China is going to get worse, not [00:19:19] better. And I seek it to be better. So, [00:19:24] um, Madame President, you've been [00:19:26] involved in everything I've just said. [00:19:28] You've been one of the leading champions [00:19:30] of protecting the Ukrainian children [00:19:33] kidnapped by the Russians. You're one of [00:19:35] the first people that sponsored the [00:19:37] legislation. You've been to Ukraine [00:19:39] numerous times. I know you have a [00:19:41] personal relationship with Ukraine. It [00:19:43] goes back to a long time ago when you [00:19:46] were actually involved with Ukraine and [00:19:49] Ukrainian families spending some time [00:19:51] there. [00:19:52] uh you have been a strong consistent [00:19:54] voice that Russia needs to stop. We need [00:19:58] to end the war, not continue the war. [00:20:01] And um to my Senate colleagues, you've [00:20:06] been asking me a long time, when are we [00:20:09] going to move your bill? It's not my [00:20:11] bill, it's our bill. The time has come. [00:20:16] I'm hoping and I believe the majority [00:20:18] leader agrees that the time has come. [00:20:22] We'll wait to see what happens in China. [00:20:24] But if nothing changes in China, then we [00:20:27] need to have a week, I believe, of where [00:20:30] this body focuses on applying pressure [00:20:34] uh against Russia to end this conflict [00:20:36] for the betterment of the world. with [00:20:38] that are