Graham: China Holds Key to Ending Ukraine War
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- Lindsey Graham, visiting Kyiv on July 10, said China could play a "decisive role" pressuring Russia toward peace — "the road to peace passes through Beijing more than it does (through) Washington, Kyiv, or Moscow."
- Graham told reporters Trump's team is now on board with the Russia sanctions bill, legislation in development for months aimed at cutting financing for Moscow's military operations.
- Zelenskyy said he discussed China's role in ending the war with Trump and European leaders at this week's NATO summit in Ankara, and met Graham to review Ukraine's urgent air defense needs.
- Graham framed the "coming months" as a diplomatic window, stating "I don't believe (Putin) is there yet, but it wouldn't take much to get him there."
- China declared a "no limits" strategic partnership with Russia days before the February 2022 invasion — the backdrop Graham is appealing against.
- Ukraine intensified drone strikes on Russian oil facilities and weapons production to undermine Moscow's war economy, while UN data shows June was one of the deadliest months of the war with at least 265 civilians killed.
Why it matters: Graham reframes the diplomatic endgame around Beijing rather than Washington, but China's 'no limits' partnership with Russia — declared days before the February 2022 invasion — complicates that pivot. With Trump now backing the sanctions bill, the coming months become a dual-track push: more Ukrainian firepower paired with economic isolation of Moscow.
