Graham warns Putin: Continuing war in Ukraine could lead to Iran’s fate
US Senator Lindsey Graham (Photo: Getty Images)
US Senator Lindsey Graham responded to Donald Trump’s ultimatum regarding the war in Ukraine and warned Putin against making a mistake, reminding him how Iran was harshly punished for defying the US in the past, according to a post by Republican Lindsey Graham on his X social media page.
US Senator Lindsey Graham warned that Russia and its allies could face serious consequences if Russian President Vladimir Putin does not agree to stop hostilities within the next 50 days.
The senator also advised Putin to remember what happened to Iran when Tehran refused to comply with US demands.
“If Putin and others are wondering what happens on day 51, I would suggest they call the Ayatollah. If I were a country buying cheap Russian oil, propping up Putin’s war machine, I would take President Trump at his word,” the senator said, emphasizing that Russia risks facing unprecedented economic pressure.
In other words, Lindsey Graham made it clear that the consequences for Russia could be severe — even without direct military action — in the form of tough economic sanctions and increased tariffs.
This refers to Trump’s statement promising to impose up to 100% tariffs on countries that buy cheap Russian oil if hostilities in Ukraine do not end within 50 days.
According to Graham, this scenario closely resembles the situation with Iran, where, after the collapse of the nuclear deal, the US administration delivered a severe economic blow that led to a crisis in the country.
Previously, Trump repeatedly promised to quickly end the war in Ukraine, but this time, for the first time, he mentioned a specific deadline — 50 days.
Shift in Trump’s approach to Russia
Recently, Donald Trump once again expressed frustration with Vladimir Putin over the lack of progress in peace talks regarding the war in Ukraine.
He gave the Russian dictator a 50-day deadline to reach a ceasefire agreement. Specifically, Trump warned that if no agreement is reached within 50 days, the US will impose new secondary tariffs.
In Ukraine, this deadline has been called a blank check for Putin, as it would allow him to calmly carry out his summer offensive, capturing new Ukrainian territories through September.
Read more about the changes in Trump’s stance toward Putin and Russia, and whether his threats might help end the war, in our article.
