Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) did not hold back in criticizing European leaders who quickly sided with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, especially after a heated encounter between Zelensky and President Donald Trump.
On Friday, Zelensky visited the White House with the intention of finalizing a rare minerals agreement with the U.S. However, tensions flared when Vice President JD Vance and former President Trump confronted Zelensky over his handling of the situation. They accused Zelensky of recklessly escalating the conflict with Russia and failing to show sufficient gratitude for the massive American aid his country has received during its ongoing war with Russia.
The meeting, which began with the promise of a crucial deal, quickly soured. In a dramatic turn of events, Zelensky was asked to leave the White House without signing the minerals agreement. Despite this, European leaders from countries like France, Germany, Poland, Spain, and Denmark, continued to offer their unwavering support to Zelensky and his cause.
Senator Graham, however, was sharply critical of the European response. In a post on X, he expressed his disappointment, stating that the last group of people he would rely on to defend freedom would be Europeans. He questioned their commitment to ensuring global peace and security, pointing out that Europe had allowed its military forces to deteriorate over the years.
Graham further emphasized that when Europe speaks, the bad actors in the world do not take them seriously. He made it clear that he believed it was time for Europe to step up and show that it could defend its own interests, rather than relying on the U.S. to do the heavy lifting.
With this stark statement, Graham’s frustration with Europe’s reliance on American military power was unmistakable, and he argued that the time had come for European nations to prove their ability to defend their own continent.