During a recent visit to Ukraine, I had the privilege of addressing the National Prayer Breakfast and events commemorating the 35th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence from the former Soviet Union, and I was deeply moved by the faith and resolve of their people.
Traveling by plane and a dead-of-night train ride from Poland, one might have expected to find a nation weary after more than four years of Putin’s brutal and bloody war and the daily pummeling of their capital city by the Russian war machine in the days before we arrived.
Instead, on my third visit since the outset of the war in 2022, I found a Ukrainian people hardened and even more determined to win a victory for freedom no matter the odds.
While some Americans have grown callous to grim headlines describing an unmoving and grinding stalemate, President Zelensky and the Ukrainian people have only become more resolved. With many of the loudest and least informed voices in our country on the Left and the Right arguing that Ukraine’s cause is hopeless or that the time has come to negotiate away its future, nothing I saw in Kyiv last week supports that conclusion.
By every measure that truly matters, Ukraine is winning this war. Ukraine remains free. Its government stands. Its soldiers have taken the fight directly into the heart of Russia with unprecedented drone warfare. Its people are unbowed and refuse to surrender. And the blue and yellow flag still flies defiantly over Kyiv.
The Ukrainian people are not asking the free world to fight their war. They are fighting it themselves, through extraordinary courage and sacrifice. They only ask of the free world: that America and our allies continue providing the support they need to repel Putin’s unprovoked invasion and return his aspirations for a new Russian empire to the ash heap of history.
Thirty-five years ago, the Soviet Union collapsed beneath the weight of Communism and its own corruption. The Iron Curtain fell, and captive nations like Ukraine reclaimed their freedom and embraced the Free World, unshackled from the chains of Communism.
Today, Vladimir Putin is trying to reverse history&#8217;s verdict. His invasion is not merely another territorial dispute between neighboring states. It is an attempt to resurrect an empire that deserved to die. Like the Soviet despots before him, Putin believes he can erase a distinct nation, language, culture, and people through fear and violence.
He cannot.
Vladimir Putin set out to conquer Ukraine in days, topple its democratically elected government, install a puppet regime, extinguish Ukrainian independence, and break the proud Ukrainian people. More than four years later, he has accomplished none of those objectives.
Russia has paid an enormous price in blood, treasure, and international isolation simply to gain small pieces of territory it cannot hold without constant reinforcement. That is not what victory looks like.
Unable to break Ukraine’s determination on the battlefield, the Kremlin has increasingly turned to terror from the skies, targeting innocent children and civilians. In recent days, Russia has unleashed wave after desperate wave of long-range drones and missiles against Kyiv and other civilian population centers. More than 1,500 attack drones were launched over just four days, as the Kremlin struggles in vain to break the spirit of the Ukrainian people.
The price of stopping dictators always rises when free nations hesitate. Putin will either be stopped in Ukraine or further west. The choice is ours, not his.
Ronald Reagan understood this when he warned, “No Western nation, including the United States, can hope to win its own battle for freedom and survival by sacrificing brave comrades to the politics of international expediency.”
For America and her allies, supporting Ukraine is not an act of charity. Giving Ukraine the means to defeat and repel the Russian war machine serves the vital national interests of the United States of America.
Every dollar invested in helping Ukrainians defeat Russian aggression today reduces the likelihood that American servicemen and women will one day have to confront that aggression themselves under our NATO commitments. This investment also rebuilds our own industrial base, providing jobs and ensuring our own security as the world becomes an increasingly dangerous place.
And more must be done right now.
Congress should act without delay to pass the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act. Every additional sanction further isolates the Kremlin, weakens Putin’s ability to finance his war machine, and brings Ukraine one step closer to justice, peace, and victory.
Congress must also ensure that Ukraine continues to receive the military resources it needs to defend its people, protect its skies, and finish this fight.
Thirty-five years ago, Ukrainians reclaimed their freedom from one empire. Today they are ensuring that the dead empire is never resurrected.
Every generation will be tasked to defend freedom. This generation of Ukrainians has done so with extraordinary courage. They deserve more than our admiration. With the steadfast support of every free nation on earth and the arsenal of democracy, Ukraine can win a victory for freedom, for their people, and for freedom-loving people around the world.
***
Mike Pence served as the 48th Vice President of the United States. He is founder of Advancing American Freedom and author of “What Conservatives Believe: Rediscovering the Conservative Conscience.”

People holding Ukrainian flag and protesting against Russian invasion in Ukraine in streets.

Mike Pence: Why Supporting Ukraine Is An Investment In Freedom, Not Charity

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volodymyr zelensky

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Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly fears that ending the war in Ukraine without securing a victory could cost him his life, with Kremlin insiders claiming he has warned that he could be “hanged” if Russia fails to achieve its objectives.
The explosive claim was reported by the <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2026/08/30/cornered-vladimir-putin-plans-to-escalate-his-war">Economist</a>, which cited sources close to the Kremlin as saying Putin believes he cannot safely end the nearly five-year war without at least capturing all of Ukraine’s Donbas region. “They will hang me,” Putin reportedly told people close to him at some point during the war, according to one insider cited by the outlet. 
The reported fear could help explain why Putin appears increasingly committed to escalating the conflict rather than pursuing an end to the fighting. According to the Economist, Putin is preparing to send as many as 400,000 additional Russians to the battlefield. Russia’s September 2022 mobilization decree remains in effect, meaning Moscow can reportedly recruit additional troops without formally announcing another mass call-up. Regional authorities could be tasked with meeting recruitment quotas, allowing the Kremlin to spread the manpower costs across individual regions.
The reported escalation comes as Russia continues a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/31/world/europe/ukraine-kyiv-drones-russia-sirens.html">massive aerial campaign against Ukraine</a>. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia launched nearly 1,500 drones over a four-day period, more than half of them jet-powered, as repeated strikes disrupted life in Kyiv.
Russian forces have also increasingly targeted Ukraine’s logistics and commercial infrastructure. Ukraine’s agriculture minister said roughly 90% of the food logistics infrastructure operated by major retail chains has been destroyed, but added that alternative delivery methods would prevent Ukrainians from being left without food.
Ukraine has meanwhile expanded its own long-range drone campaign against Russian oil, energy and logistics infrastructure.
The war is also reportedly becoming increasingly unpopular among parts of Russia’s elite. One insider told the Economist that the conflict has continued largely on “inertia,” imposing growing economic and political costs on Russia. Another argued that nearly five years of war increasingly makes the conflict appear to be a failure regardless of its eventual outcome.
Despite those concerns, Putin’s grip on power remains secure, according to the report. The danger may instead be what happens if he attempts to end the war without being able to claim a meaningful victory.
Putin has continued to publicly reject the idea that Russia is preparing to wind down its campaign. During an Aug. 22 address, he <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/putin-says-ukraine-opened-pandoras-box-with-strikes-economic-targets-2026-08-22/">accused</a> Ukraine of opening a “Pandora’s box” and threatened retaliation against what he called the country’s “most sensitive sectors.”
“The special military operation continues,” Putin told members of Russia’s ruling United Russia party. “We will move only forward.” The Kremlin has also increasingly <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/aug/27/britain-ukraine-war-russia">threatened</a> Ukraine’s Western supporters, including Britain, as Western governments expand military assistance to Kyiv.
The result is a war in which Putin may face pressure from multiple directions: growing costs at home, frustration among portions of the Russian elite and continued battlefield resistance from Ukraine. An exit without a clear victory could carry political consequences he reportedly fears could be even more severe.

Vladimir Putin

Putin Reportedly Fears That He’ll Be Hanged If He Loses Ukraine War

russian invasion of ukraine

Ukrainian drone operators defeated U.S. troops in a major war games <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/national-security/u-s-and-ukrainian-forces-went-head-to-head-in-an-exercise-ukraines-drones-won-cc3663d5?mod=europe_news_article_pos1">exercise</a> earlier this year, according to a new report.
The Combined Resolve drills took place in Hohenfels, Germany, in April and May. About 3,500 American personnel, mostly from the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Cavalry Division rotating in from Fort Hood, Texas, faced Ukrainian operators from the 412th Regiment of Unmanned Systems Forces, known as Nemesis. The Americans were tasked with attacking a position held by the Army’s training ground opposition force, which the Ukrainians reinforced, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Ukrainian drone units easily spotted and defeated the American troops and armored vehicles, according to people familiar with the events. Officials briefed on the exercise and one participant told the Journal that Ukrainian operators had eliminated a full U.S. armored brigade.
The American troops sent heavily armored vehicles into the fight. Those machines threw up dust and were easy for Ukrainian reconnaissance drones to spot. The reconnaissance craft were tailed by drones dropping explosives and by first-person view drones that smash into targets.
Live ammunition is rarely used in such exercises. Instead, drones typically hover above a vehicle or move close enough for an observer to award them a &#8220;kill.&#8221; Ukrainian systems did this so quickly that American units had to be sent back into the exercises as new units just to keep the training going.
The rotating troops carried standard electronic warfare and counter-drone systems. An Army official noted that newer Mobile Brigade Combat Teams — equipped with the latest gear and tactics — have fared much better in similar exercises.
Over the two-week engagement, the Americans reran the scenario and consistently improved. They became more adept at dispersing, concealing themselves, and using electronic warfare. Midway through the exercises, the Ukrainians switched sides and helped the U.S. forces use drone technology offensively, which they did effectively.
Ukrainian troops have become experts in drone warfare by necessity, after spending nearly four and a half years fighting Russia. Operators and support troops continually repair and adapt drones. American drone operators, in contrast, lack experience in fixing and arming drones under fire, according to a person present at the exercise.
In Ukraine, numerous tanks and other armor have been destroyed — and large parts of the country’s vast front line are almost free of armor. Some U.S. military officers argue that drones are particularly deadly in this war because it has reached a stalemate with little battlefield movement.
In a war of maneuver, they say, the tank and other armor would come back into their own. Ukrainian military thinkers such as former commander-in-chief Valery Zaluzhny argue that drone technology has made traditional maneuver warfare unfeasible for now.
Eliot Cohen of the Center for Strategic and International Studies said recent battlefield experience shows how drones of all kinds are essential to modern war. “It is vital that the U.S. military master that, and thus far, unfortunately, that does not seem to be the case,” he said.
Combined Resolve was not the first exercise in which Ukrainian drones outstripped their competition. In May of last year, Ukrainian drone operators easily defeated British, Estonian, and other NATO forces — including a U.S. contingent — in an exercise in the Baltic region. This spring, Swedish forces led an exercise with NATO allies — and Ukrainian drone teams outperformed them as well.
This year in the Middle East, American forces have struggled to stop Iranian long-range drones that have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/two-american-heroes-killed-in-iran-attack-identified">killed</a> and injured soldiers and destroyed aircraft.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told senators in May that he had increased the number of U.S. personnel being sent to Ukraine to study drone warfare. The United States is also currently testing Ukrainian drones to buy.

Drone operators perform combat tasks in Zaporizhzhia direction

American Tanks and Soldiers Overwhelmed by Ukrainian Drones in War Games

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A Russian cruise missile struck eastern Poland early Thursday after violating the country&#8217;s airspace during a massive Russian missile barrage against Ukraine, according to Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
The Russian-made Kh-101 cruise missile crashed into an undeveloped field near the village of Tarnawa-Kolonia, about 57 miles from the Ukrainian border, leaving a crater approximately 33 feet wide, the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwymkgenv2ro">BBC </a><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwymkgenv2ro">reported</a>. No casualties were reported.
&#8220;Last night, during the massive missile attack on Ukraine, one of the cruise missiles Kh-101 violated the Polish airspace and fell 50 km away from the town of Lublin,&#8221; Tusk <a href="https://x.com/donaldtusk/status/2082826810052558935">said</a>. &#8220;The missile was armed. In all probability it was Russian. I would like to thank all EU and NATO leaders for their solidarity and readiness to help.&#8221;
The Kh-101 is a long-range air-launched cruise missile that is exclusively in Russia&#8217;s inventory and has been used extensively throughout Moscow&#8217;s war against Ukraine. According to the <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/d2ed0281-205f-4021-bd4d-45931f9c9f7a">Financial Times</a>, citing an analysis by Ukraine&#8217;s Office of the President, Russia increased production of the Kh-101 nearly eightfold — from about 56 missiles annually before the full-scale invasion to roughly 420 missiles in 2023. 
The incident occurred during one of Russia&#8217;s largest overnight attacks on Ukraine, with missiles and drones targeting Kyiv, Lviv, and other cities across the country. According to the BBC, at least eight people in Ukraine were killed and dozens more wounded, including six members of one family in a village near Kryvyi Rih. Lviv, located near Ukraine&#8217;s border with Poland, was also among the cities struck.
The incident came just hours after Tusk met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Lublin, where the Ukrainian leader stopped on his way back from talks with President Donald Trump. 
Poland, which borders Ukraine, is a NATO member, meaning an attack on its territory has broader implications for the alliance&#8217;s collective security. Although Polish officials have not suggested the missile was intentionally aimed at Poland, any Russian military object entering NATO airspace raises the risk of escalation.
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, several Russian drones and at least one unarmed Russian missile have landed in Poland, but Thursday&#8217;s incident involved what Tusk identified as an armed Kh-101 cruise missile.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said he spoke with Tusk following the incident, writing on X that Poland and the alliance activated their air and ground defenses after the missile violated Polish airspace. 
&#8220;This incident is yet another reckless act by Russia and a dangerous consequence of its war against Ukraine,” <a href="https://x.com/SecGenNATO/status/2082826796651733182">Rutte wrote</a>. “I condemn last night’s deadly strikes across Ukraine. NATO continues to provide essential support so Ukraine can defend itself. Our commitment is unwavering.”
Poland&#8217;s military said it had been tracking Russia&#8217;s overnight assault on Ukraine for hours before the impact. 
National and allied surveillance systems detected heavy activity from Russia&#8217;s long-range aviation, prompting the country to raise the readiness of its air defense systems and scramble fighter jets along with an airborne early warning aircraft, according to the <a href="https://x.com/DowOperSZ/status/2082694512682389553">Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces</a> in a statement.
At least a dozen missiles over western Ukraine that could have posed a threat to Polish airspace were tracked on radar, including one missile that came within roughly three miles of the border before turning back east, the statement said.
Then, at 3:40 a.m. local time, Polish radar detected another object traveling westward inside the country&#8217;s airspace. An F-16 was dispatched to identify and intercept it, but the object disappeared from radar before the fighter could make visual contact. A military helicopter later located the apparent impact site near Tarnawa-Kolonia, where search and recovery teams were sent to secure the area, the statement went on.
Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz described it as &#8220;an extremely tough night&#8221; for the country&#8217;s air defense, surveillance, and threat detection systems, thanking military personnel for monitoring and responding to the overnight barrage. 
He said authorities were continuing to investigate the object that fell.

POLAND-UKRAINE-RUSSIA-CONFLICT-NATO

Russian Missile Strikes Poland During Massive Overnight Attack On Ukraine

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The Senate overwhelmingly approved a bipartisan sanctions package targeting Russia and Iran on Tuesday, passing the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 by an 86-12 vote just hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with lawmakers on Capitol Hill and attended the funeral of the bill&#8217;s namesake.
The legislation, named in honor of the late South Carolina GOP senator, represents one of the final initiatives Graham worked to secure before his unexpected death earlier this month. Graham had spent the days leading up to his passing negotiating the measure with the White House after returning from a trip to Ukraine.
The vote came after Zelensky personally lobbied senators during a closed-door meeting on Capitol Hill before final passage. Zelensky traveled to Washington both to attend Graham&#8217;s funeral and to press lawmakers to approve the sanctions package aimed at increasing pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Following the meeting, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), one of the bill&#8217;s lead sponsors, <a href="https://www.c-span.org/program/news-conference/sens-blumenthal-britt-shaheen-wicker-risch-after-meeting-with-ukrainian-pres-zelensky/683470">said to reporters</a>, “This bill is the one that will pass. This bill is the one that the President will sign. We want a law, not just a bill.&#8221; Blumenthal added that “it sends a message to Putin: your days of war are numbered. You are on the losing side.&#8221;
The legislation would impose sweeping new sanctions on Russian political officials, oligarchs, financial institutions and the so-called Russian &#8220;shadow fleet&#8221; used to evade existing sanctions. It also authorizes secondary sanctions and tariff authority targeting countries that continue purchasing large quantities of Russian oil and gas, one of the Kremlin&#8217;s primary sources of wartime revenue.
In addition to Russia, the bill extends sanctions targeting Iran&#8217;s energy and weapons sectors through 2031, preserving restrictions that were otherwise set to expire this year. Senators agreed to combine the Russia and Iran sanctions into a single package after weeks of negotiations. 
Supporters described the measure as a fitting tribute to Graham, who was among the Senate&#8217;s most outspoken advocates for Ukraine throughout Russia&#8217;s invasion. &#8220;There is no greater way to honor Senator Graham&#8217;s legacy than to move forward with this bipartisan agreement,&#8221; the bill&#8217;s bipartisan sponsors said in a <a href="https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/bipartisan-group-of-senators-announce-agreement-to-move-forward-on-major-sanctions-legislation">joint statement</a> before Tuesday&#8217;s vote.
The measure drew opposition from a much smaller group of bipartisan senators.
Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), who frequently opposes sanctions legislation on libertarian grounds, joined 11 Democrats voting against the bill. Democratic opponents cited concerns over the legislation&#8217;s tariff provisions rather than the sanctions themselves. &#8220;I support Zelensky,&#8221; Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ) <a href="https://x.com/AndrewDesiderio/status/2082249948972617951">said</a> after voting no. &#8220;We&#8217;re all on board on the sanctions &#8230; But why do we need the tariff power in there right now?&#8221; 
Despite those objections, the legislation secured well above the 60 votes needed to pass, underscoring broad bipartisan support for increasing economic pressure on Russia as the war in Ukraine continues.
The House is not expected to consider the legislation until lawmakers return from the August recess. If approved there, the bill will head to President Donald Trump&#8217;s desk for his signature.

Briefing of US Senators Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal in Kyiv

Senate Honors Lindsey Graham, Passes New Russia Sanctions

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President Donald Trump on Tuesday eulogized the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) as &#8220;the giant of the United States Senate&#8221; whose unwavering belief in American strength defined both his public career and his personal life, telling mourners gathered at Washington National Cathedral that the longtime South Carolina Republican &#8220;felt in his bones that our destiny is to win.&#8221;
Speaking before a congregation that included Vice President JD Vance, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, members of Trump&#8217;s Cabinet and congressional leaders from both parties, the president remembered Graham as one of the U.S. Senate&#8217;s defining figures whose influence stretched far beyond Capitol Hill.
&#8220;The giant of the United States Senate, a true American original who left us much too soon,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;Nothing of consequence happened in this capital without Lindsey Graham knowing about it. Nothing of significance happened anywhere in the world without Lindsey Graham having a view on it.&#8221;
Trump centered much of his remarks on Graham&#8217;s worldview, describing the late senator&#8217;s foreign policy philosophy as one rooted in projecting American strength abroad. &#8220;Above all, Lindsey Graham believed in a strong America,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;He had unwavering faith in the righteousness of American power and prayer. &#8230; He felt in his bones that our destiny is to win — and that his job was to do everything he could to ensure our enemies would lose.&#8221; 
Trump said that conviction motivated Graham&#8217;s 33 years of military service in the Air Force and Air National Guard, as well as his frequent overseas travel as a senator. &#8220;It was this conviction that took him as a senator to almost every country on earth, confronting America&#8217;s adversaries and standing up for America&#8217;s friends,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;It&#8217;s a testament to his towering impact that among those mourning him here today are leaders, presidents, prime ministers from all over the globe.&#8221;
The president also reflected on his unlikely friendship with Graham, recalling their bitter rivalry during the 2016 Republican presidential primary before the two became close political allies. &#8220;We became great friends, and Lindsey did not stop calling me for the next 10 years,&#8221; Trump joked. &#8220;I always cherished the memories of our golf games.&#8221;
Trump acknowledged Graham&#8217;s reputation as one of the Senate&#8217;s most hawkish members while framing it as an extension of his patriotism. &#8220;He was extremely hawkish. I will tell you, he never saw a war that he didn&#8217;t like,&#8221; Trump said to laughter. &#8220;Only his true friends would understand that — but he wanted it for the good of our country.&#8221;
Fox News host Sean Hannity, one of Graham&#8217;s closest friends, echoed many of those themes during his own eulogy, rejecting criticism that Graham was a warmonger. &#8220;The truth was the opposite,&#8221; Hannity said. &#8220;Lindsey desperately wanted a lasting peace in the Middle East.&#8221; Hannity argued that Graham&#8217;s support for a strong military stemmed from what he called the senator&#8217;s &#8220;moral clarity.&#8221;
&#8220;He understood right from wrong, good from evil,&#8221; Hannity said. &#8220;He knew &#8230; there can be no path to peace until evil is defeated.&#8221; The longtime television host also reflected on Graham&#8217;s decades of military service, his devotion to South Carolina, and his friendship with Trump, saying the president had given Graham &#8220;the greatest gift of his life&#8221; by allowing him &#8220;a front-row seat at the highest levels of history.&#8221;
Graham&#8217;s niece, Emillie Boggs Roberts, offered a more personal portrait of the senator, reflecting on his deep pride in his family and the relationships that shaped him away from public life. She described him as more than an uncle or senator, but &#8220;the foundation of our family.&#8221; 
Roberts recalled how he became both brother and parent to her mother after their parents died, and said that despite decades in national politics, Graham never failed to prioritize his family, making time for holidays, vacations, graduations, hospital visits, and phone calls from home, no matter what demands awaited him in Washington.
The funeral concluded ahead of Graham&#8217;s burial in South Carolina, where the longtime senator will be laid to rest after more than three decades in Congress.

Services Held For Late Republican South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham Funeral

Trump Honors Lindsey Graham: ‘The Giant Of The United States Senate’

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WASHINGTON — Vice President JD Vance eulogized the late Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) from the United States Capitol on Tuesday, describing Graham as a &#8220;true American original&#8221; and a great statesman who deeply loved his fellow Americans.
Vance spoke in the Capitol Rotunda on Tuesday morning as he and his fellow Republicans honored the life of the late senator, who suddenly died earlier in July at the age of 71.
The vice president offered his deep sympathy and condolences to Graham&#8217;s family and staff, telling them, &#8220;I know so many of you loved Lindsey like I did. So many of you argued with Lindsey, laughed with Lindsey, relied on Lindsey.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/watch-live-lindsey-graham-honored-in-solemn-capito?contentProgram=Daily%20Wire%20News&amp;contentType=ShowEpisode&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;location=Home%20Tab&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Home%20Featured%20Carousel">WATCH: Lindsay Graham Honored In Solemn Capitol Ceremony</a>
&#8220;Lindsey Graham loved people from all walks of life,&#8221; he reflected. &#8220;I think in part because of the way that he grew up, because of the fact that he wasn&#8217;t handed everything. He was fascinated in everybody. He was fascinated in the wait staff in the Senate dining room. He was fascinated in the people who made the food. He was fascinated in the lowest staffer who had been hired three days earlier. He was fascinated by, of course, the very leadership of our country.&#8221;
&#8220;I think he was fascinated in people because he loved people and he was interested in them,&#8221; he added, describing Graham as the kind of person who &#8220;treated everybody the same because he was fascinated and he loved every single person in this chamber.&#8221;
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<div id="attachment_1145319" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jd-vance-eulogizes-lindsey-graham-a-true-american-original/services-held-for-late-republican-south-carolina-senator-lindsey-graham-funeral" rel="attachment wp-att-1145319"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1145319" class="wp-image-1145319 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-2287367147-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-2287367147-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-2287367147-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-2287367147-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-2287367147.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" /></a>Photographer: Win McNamee/Getty Images/Bloomberg via Getty Images</div>
Vance shared that he first met Graham when he was on the campaign trail for his Senate race in 2022. He recalled driving in the back of the car with Graham, heading from campaign event to campaign event with the late senator, seeing firsthand how invested Graham was in his fellow Americans, and experiencing Graham&#8217;s &#8220;world-class sense of humor.&#8221;
On the campaign trail, ahead of one of Graham&#8217;s hits on Fox News, Vance asked the South Carolina senator to direct people to his website. Vance joked: &#8220;Over a four-minute interview, he must have mentioned JDVance.com close to a dozen times. The host would ask, &#8216;How was the weather?&#8217; And Lindsey would say, &#8216;Well before I check the weather, I always go to JDVance.com.&#8217; And in a four- or five-minute TV appearance, Lindsey Graham raised us over $100,000.&#8221;
&#8220;That swashbuckling, infectious laugh, that attitude, that passion that so many others have talked about,&#8221; Vance shared. &#8220;Lindsey Graham was impossible not to like as a human being and, of course, as a United States senator.&#8221;
Vance recalled getting into a huge argument with Graham about a funding bill for Ukraine during a Senate lunch. Afterwards, he said, he went back to his staff and told them he had probably lost Graham&#8217;s vote on important rail legislation he was working on. Later on, he found out that the &#8220;fiercest advocate of that bill behind the scenes was Senator Lindsey Graham.&#8221;
&#8220;I went to Lindsey and I said, &#8216;Why are you helping me? Why are you helping this legislation?&#8217; And I expected him to do what so many politicians would do. I expected him to lie and say, &#8216;Well, I really care about rail legislation.&#8217; And he said, &#8216;I don&#8217;t care about that at all.&#8217; I said, &#8216;Why are you helping me?&#8217; And he said, &#8216;Well, I don&#8217;t care about it, but you do.'&#8221;
&#8220;And that was the kind of colleague he could be,&#8221; Vance added. &#8220;A person you argued with and fought with in one minute but behind the scenes, without collecting an ounce of credit, was working for you and working for the things that you cared about in the next. That was who Lindsey Graham was.&#8221;
Vance credited Graham with helping Justice Brett Kavanaugh make it through his Supreme Court confirmation, describing the late senator as a &#8220;fierce&#8221; advocate for the embattled Supreme Court justice nominee, swaying other senators with his passionate defense of Kavanaugh.
&#8220;I believe he saved that nomination,&#8221; Vance said.
&#8220;He saw that the Senate at its very worst could be a venue for character assassination,&#8221; the vice president said. &#8220;But because he loved people, he saw that the Senate at its very best could be a deliberative body geared towards persuading people. And that&#8217;s what Lindsey Graham did in that case and in so many others.&#8221;
&#8220;I choose to remember Lindsey Graham as a man who could disagree with you without being disagreeable,&#8221; Vance said. &#8220;I choose to remember Lindsey Graham as a person who could fight with you on one issue but fight for you on another issue. I remember Lindsey Graham as a man who loved people. And because he loved people, he was willing to reason with them, to respect them, and ultimately to persuade them.&#8221;
&#8220;May God comfort all of those who loved Lindsey Graham, particularly his beautiful family,&#8221; Vance concluded. &#8220;And may God rest the soul of Senator Lindsey Graham, a true American original.&#8221;

Late Senator Lindsey Graham Memorialized In Washington DC

JD Vance Eulogizes Lindsey Graham: ‘A True American Original’

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jd vance

Ukrainian drones have recently struck vessels and other assets used in military cargo shipments between Iran and Russia across the Caspian Sea. The attacks expand Kyiv’s long-range drone campaign into waters more than 430 miles from Ukraine’s nearest border.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed responsibility for the attacks on Saturday. “We also achieved very strong results with long‑range strikes in the Caspian Sea — including vessels used in military cargo shipments involving Iran, as well as a warship,” he wrote.
The Security Service of Ukraine said the strikes hit a Russian oil field, a Russian missile boat, and ships used to transport Iranian drones to Russia. The operation forms part of a wider campaign that has also reached oil refineries far inside Russia and contributed to an energy crisis in a country that remains one of the world’s largest petroleum producers.
Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, blamed Zelensky on Sunday for a strike he said killed a sailor on an Iranian commercial vessel. Araghchi said that he contacted Russian and European Union leaders and stated that Kyiv’s actions could not go unanswered, and Iran summoned the Ukrainian chargé d’affaires in Tehran.
Analysts noted the strikes also allow Ukraine to signal alignment with the Trump administration on Iran. Hanna Notte of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies said the attacks more closely link the European and Middle Eastern theaters.
&#8220;The more that Zelensky can signal to Trump that he’s on Trump’s side against Iran, the better,&#8221; she said.
The Caspian Sea attacks come as Zelensky arrives in Washington for talks with President Donald Trump. Zelensky is expected to press for firmer U.S. commitments on air defenses, including a license that would allow Ukraine to produce Patriot interceptor missiles. Russia has stepped up ballistic missile attacks on Kyiv in recent weeks, Zelensky has said interceptors are urgently needed, and a Raytheon delegation visited Kyiv last week. 
After the meeting with Zelensky, Trump is scheduled to see Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Both leaders are in Washington for the funeral of Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC).
The timing has highlighted the growing overlap between the two conflicts. Kyiv has called Iran a “direct accomplice to Russian aggression against Ukraine.” Zelensky said his country has evidence that Russia shared satellite imagery with Tehran to help it attack U.S. military facilities and Gulf states. Trump said he would ask Putin about the claim and that it had no impact even if true.
Iran has supplied Russia with Shahed one-way attack drones since the fall of 2022. Russia later began producing its own version of the drones, the Geran, at a factory 600 miles east of Moscow. Ukrainian forces targeted that plant as recently as last year. The Caspian Sea has served as a key route for the shipment of these drones, along with other military shipments. Russia has used shipping companies to move equipment from Iran to the Russian mainland, with some vessels continuing via rivers and canals to the Black Sea.
The sea gives Iran its most direct path to Russia and Central Asia. Nicole Grajewski, an assistant professor at Sciences Po who has written on the Russia-Iran partnership, described the route as “somewhat unfettered by any kind of interdiction by the United States or other partners.”
Trump paused U.S. strikes on Iran over the weekend while considering further action aimed at loosening Tehran’s control of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s southern ports remain more important economically, but the Caspian Sea offers a way around the blockade of its Persian Gulf and northern Arabian Sea facilities.
Israel targeted a naval outpost on Iran’s Caspian coast in March. Continued Ukrainian strikes there could pressure an economic link for both countries under sanctions. Hamidreza Azizi, a visiting fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, said Iran sees the attacks “in the context of this bigger picture of being under blockades from both the south and the north.”
Since the U.S. and Israeli campaign against Iran began in February, Tehran has used Shahed drones against commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, civilian airports and seaports, Gulf oil infrastructure, and American bases in the region.
The Ukrainian moves follow earlier U.S. efforts to isolate Iran’s key southern port. In mid-July, American forces struck bridges, railways, and other transport links around Bandar Abbas, the strategic city on the Strait of Hormuz that hosts Iran’s naval headquarters. Those <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-pounds-bridges-and-roads-to-cut-off-irans-strategic-port-city">strikes</a> were intended to cut the city off from the rest of the country while targeting maritime surveillance assets used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
In Moscow, the mayor reported that more than 390 Ukrainian drones targeted the capital region overnight into Tuesday, with most intercepted. Damage was confirmed to a high-rise south of the city and a warehouse to the west. No casualties were reported.

Lviv, Ukraine

Ukraine Steps Up Attacks On Iranian-Linked Assets As Zelensky Visits Trump

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iran

U.S.

In a blistering showdown on Tuesday, War Secretary Pete Hegseth delivered a reality check to Senate Democrats, demanding to know if they would rather play partisan politics than stop a rogue regime from acquiring nuclear weapons.
Facing off against Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) during a heated Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, Hegseth cut through hours of budget bickering with a defense of the administration’s strategy to neutralize the Iranian threat.
Prior to the exchange with Shaheen, Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) had blustered, “Let me also say we&#8217;re in a moment in history where we can win the war in Ukraine. That victory would be critically important for those people who have fought for more than four years against the odds and proven they can put Putin back on his heels. But instead of finding the money that they need now for air defenses, we&#8217;re putting more money into this exchange with Iran, a war of choice which we never should have entered.”
Shaheen later followed by ranting, “At what point do you stop asking Americans to foot the bill for a war they don&#8217;t support on top of an inflated budget request and billions in reconciliation funds that you still haven&#8217;t spent?”
Hegseth fired back, challenging the notion that somehow the war in Ukraine should supersede the war against a nuclear threat to America.
&#8220;One of the reasons I take issue with that characterization is something that Senator Durbin said when he talked about Ukraine. And he talked about winning,&#8221; Hegseth said. &#8220;And I appreciate as much as anybody winning a war. But I sit in front of a committee that wants to talk about winning a war that&#8217;s been going on for four years and talks about the strategic defeat of a conflict that&#8217;s been going on for four months to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear bomb. I would hope for some perspective in this town of the historic nature of what President Trump is undertaking. Do you want radical Islamists to have a nuclear bomb that can stare down the world?&#8221;
By putting the nuclear threat front and center, Hegseth left the committee with a stark choice: stop quibbling over spreadsheets and back the commander-in-chief, or answer to the American public when a radical regime gets its hands on the ultimate weapon.

Defense Secretary Hegseth Testifies Before Senate Appropriations Committee

Pete Hegseth Forces Dems To Answer One Simple Iran Question

Senate Democrats

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) reportedly joked hours before his sudden death that he couldn’t die because he had too many things to get done in the Senate. 
&#8220;I can&#8217;t die now. I still need to do the Russia sanctions, get Iran sorted out and do Israeli-Saudi normalization,” Graham said on Saturday after saying he felt poorly, <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/07/12/lindsey-graham-israel-saudi-peace-iran">according</a> to a source who spoke to Axios. 
The source said that Graham agreed to see a doctor after a Sunday morning appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” after being encouraged to get immediate medical attention. 
Initial tests by the Medical Examiner of Washington, District of Columbia, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lindsey-graham-medical-examiner-releases-preliminary-cause-of-death?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Lindsey+Graham%3A+Medical+Examiner+Releases+Preliminary+Cause+Of+Death">found</a> that Graham appears to have died from Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (ASCVD), a condition in which plaque — made up of calcium, fatty deposits, and cholesterol — sticks to the interior walls of arteries. The condition can lead to high blood pressure, causing strokes and heart attacks. 
Graham made the comments shortly after a phone call with President Donald Trump. He asked the president to impose strict sanctions on Russia amid its war with Ukraine. The South Carolina Republican had recently returned from a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. 
Graham and Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS) recently reached an agreement with the Trump administration to move forward on a Russia sanctions package. 
Trump <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/trump-phone-call-lindsey-graham-death-save-act-rcna552732">detailed</a> his final call with Graham in an interview with NBC News. He said the two discussed getting the SAVE Act across the finish line, a proposal that would require photo ID to vote in federal elections. 
“He actually said he was tired, but he wanted to pass the SAVE America Act, and I said, ‘Well, we’re going to get it done, Lindsey. We’re going to get it done,’” Trump said. 
The president added that “other than being tired,” Graham seemed fine and described him as “like a member of the family to me.”
Trump announced Sunday that he had directed all American flags to be lowered until next Saturday in honor of Graham, calling him “a dear friend of mine” and “a truly great man.”

Iran Senate Briefing Pressers

The Eerie Joke Lindsey Graham Made Hours Before His Sudden Death

Lindsey Graham Said 'I Can't Die Now' Hours Before Sudden Death

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One of the oldest and most sacred Christian monasteries in the world was set ablaze overnight Monday when Russia launched a massive <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/14/europe/kyiv-pechersk-lavra-monastery-fire-russian-attack-intl-">missile and drone assault</a> on Kyiv, damaging the Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra — a site that has stood as the spiritual heart of Eastern Orthodox Christianity for nearly a thousand years.
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Russia hit Kiev Pechersk Lavra tonight—intentionally or not doesn’t matter.
Lavra is one of the most important monasteries in Russian Orthodoxy. It was founded in a cave in the 11th century and important historical personalities are buried there, including Nicholas II Prime… <a href="https://t.co/7lI9XPmFj8">pic.twitter.com/7lI9XPmFj8</a>
&mdash; Katya Sedgwick (@KatyaSedgwick) <a href="https://x.com/KatyaSedgwick/status/2066396581751075237?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 15, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The Lavra, founded in 1051 by a monk named Anthony who had trained on Mount Athos, is not merely a Ukrainian landmark. It is among the founding institutions of Christian civilization in the Slavic world, the monastery where the region&#8217;s earliest written histories were composed, where saints are entombed in underground caves, and where pilgrims have traveled for centuries from across the Orthodox world. UNESCO had already placed it on its World Heritage in Danger list since Russia&#8217;s full-scale invasion began.
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Ukraine&#8217;s emergency services reported that 800 square meters of the Dormition Cathedral&#8217;s roof were destroyed in the blaze, with a separate fire consuming 1,000 square meters of an adjacent national cultural complex. Firefighters battled through the night beneath the monastery&#8217;s iconic towers and domes. At least nine people were killed across Ukraine in the overnight assault — four in Kyiv, and five rescue workers in Kharkiv responding to an earlier strike — after Russia launched 611 drones and 70 missiles.
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President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the smoldering site Monday, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/world/ukraine/russia-attacks-fire-kyiv-pechersk-lavra-ukraine-monastery-rcna350077">calling</a> the attack &#8220;one of Russia&#8217;s most serious crimes against Christian culture to date.&#8221; Metropolitan Epiphanius of Kyiv called it &#8220;a crime against humanity, against history, against Christianity.&#8221; Ukraine&#8217;s foreign minister called Russian dictator Vladimir Putin &#8220;the 21st century&#8217;s worst barbarian.&#8221;
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Russia denied responsibility, claiming a stray Ukrainian Patriot missile caused the damage. Ukraine&#8217;s security service rejected that, citing drone wreckage recovered at the scene.
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The attack carries a grim historical echo. This is not the first time the Dormition Cathedral has been destroyed on Moscow&#8217;s orders. In 1941, retreating Soviet NKVD operatives mined much of central Kyiv before abandoning it, demolishing the cathedral and killing thousands of civilians in the process. The Soviet Union blamed the Nazis for the Katyn massacre — and that lie held for decades. The cathedral was only fully rebuilt after Ukrainian independence, consecrated in the year 2000.
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The monastery has endured Mongol sackings, Golden Horde raids, Soviet secularization, and World War II destruction. Each time, it was rebuilt. Its underground caves still hold the naturally mummified remains of medieval saints, including Nestor the Chronicler, author of the region&#8217;s earliest histories. Its bell towers and baroque churches have defined the Kyiv skyline for centuries.
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Whether this latest assault represents another wound from which the Lavra will recover — or something more final — will depend on how the war ends. What is not in question is what was attacked: not just a Ukrainian building, but one of the living roots of Christian civilization.
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Russia Strikes Kyiv in Large Scale Drone and Missile Attack

Russia Sets One Of Christianity’s Holiest Sites Ablaze In Bombing

christianity

Kyiv

President Donald Trump announced a three-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine beginning Saturday, hinting at the possibility of the “beginning of the end of a very long, deadly, and hard fought War.”
&#8220;I am pleased to announce that there will be a THREE DAY CEASEFIRE (May 9th, 10th, and 11th) in the War between Russia and Ukraine,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116540259118606629">posted</a> Friday on Truth Social, adding that the ceasefire would mark the anniversary of Victory Day in World War II — one of Russia&#8217;s most important national holidays.
President Trump said the ceasefire will mean the &#8220;suspension of all kinetic activity&#8221; in a conflict that began in February 2022 and has resulted in more than 2 million casualties.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the details of the ceasefire, adding that &#8220;a prisoner exchange in the format of 1,000 for 1,000&#8221; would also take place between Russia and Ukraine.
&#8220;Within the framework of the negotiating process mediated by the American side, we received Russia’s agreement to conduct a prisoner exchange in the format of 1,000 for 1,000,&#8221; Zelensky wrote on X. &#8220;A ceasefire regime must also be established on May 9, 10, and 11. Ukraine is consistently working to bring its people home from Russian captivity. I have instructed our team to promptly prepare everything necessary for the exchange.&#8221;
Russia had spent weeks lobbying Ukraine for a Victory Day ceasefire, threatening to strike Kyiv if the planned Victory Day parade was disrupted. Ukraine dismissed the ceasefire proposal as &#8220;unserious&#8221; until Trump intervened and brokered a prisoner exchange.
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told Russian media that Moscow agreed to the arrangement following a phone call between Putin and Trump.
The three-day truce will mark the first mutual ceasefire between the two nations since Russia&#8217;s full-scale invasion began more than four years ago. Russia has previously declared unilateral pauses around Orthodox church holidays and Victory Day in past years, and the two nations briefly observed a one-month halt to strikes on energy infrastructure earlier this year. A deep mutual distrust between the two sides has prevented any comprehensive cessation of hostilities from being reached until now.
&#8220;Hopefully, it is the beginning of the end of a very long, deadly, and hard fought War. Talks are continuing on ending this Major Conflict, the biggest since World War II, and we are getting closer and closer every day,&#8221; Trump said.

Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelensky, Vladimir Putin

Trump Announces Ceasefire In Russia-Ukraine War

Ceasefire

trump administration

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