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Senator Lindsey Graham’s blunt remarks on Hannity — that President Trump has put Vladimir Putin “on notice” and that the only real way this war ends is if Russia itself breaks and Putin is removed — cut through the usual diplomatic euphemisms. Americans tired of wishful thinking deserve clarity, and Graham delivered it in plain language that reflects a growing conservative impatience with half-measures.
President Trump has been publicly dialing up pressure, telling allies and adversaries alike that the United States will lean on Russia’s financing and energy lifelines to force a settlement while offering to help secure peace once fighting ceases. That is the opposite of the feckless, apologetic posture we saw from the last administration — instead of capitulation, Trump is using leverage where leverage exists and demanding results.
Graham’s contention that the conflict won’t end with a diplomatic slap-on-the-wrist reflects the brutal reality on the ground: letting Putin keep what he stole would only invite further aggression across Europe and beyond. His call for the West to “up our game” and supply Ukraine with the longer-range capabilities it needs is a realist’s prescription for victory, not an adventurist fantasy.
Make no mistake: Putin is a war criminal whose ambitions threaten the entire free world, and conservatives who demand decisive action are on the right side of history. Weakness begets aggression, and the Biden years taught Europe and adversaries alike that American resolve could be bought down with delay and dithering — which is why a tougher, smarter policy that targets Russia’s revenue streams and arms Ukraine to win is long overdue.
The shrill outrage from the usual media suspects and partisan rivals misses the point: this isn’t about ego, it’s about strategy. If putting Putin “on notice” forces Moscow to reckon with the economic and military consequences of its choices, then tough talk backed by credible action is exactly what freedom-loving nations should be doing right now.
Conservatives should pressure the administration to follow through — not with open-ended promises, but with concrete policies: secondary sanctions on enablers of Russian oil, the delivery of long-range weapons to allow Ukrainians to reclaim their land, and a coalition readiness to impose real costs on Moscow. Graham’s warning was stark and necessary; it’s time for allies to stop giving Putin breathing room and start using every tool to force a settlement on terms that respect sovereignty and deter future tyrants.
