The Rev. Franklin Graham is calling for an end to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict after a tense meeting between President Donald Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last week.
In a social media post published Saturday, the day after the contentious meeting in the Oval Office, Graham acknowledged the fact that the meeting “was tense and unfortunately did not end well.”
“The progress we had all hoped for is again delayed,” Graham wrote. “Pray for the people of Ukraine, and that there would be an end to this terrible war.”
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As the CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and the Evangelical aid charity Samaritan’s Purse, Graham’s organizations have actively provided relief to the Ukrainian people since Russia invaded the eastern European nation three years ago.
Russia invaded Ukrainian territory in February 2022, claiming it wanted to secure the rights of pro-Russian communities in Eastern Ukraine regions like Donetsk and Luhansk. In the days after the invasion, Samaritan’s Purse deployed disaster response specialists to Poland and Romania, where refugees fleeing the war-torn nation were arriving in large numbers. In April 2022, Graham preached an Easter sermon in Ukraine.
The hostile exchange between Trump, Vance and Zelensky began when Zelensky criticized Vance’s suggestion to embrace the Trump administration’s “diplomacy” with Russia in an effort to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Vance accused Zelensky of acting “disrespectful” by attacking “the administration that is trying to prevent the destruction of your country.”
“Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel,” Trump told Zelensky after the Ukrainian president suggested that the U.S. would experience difficulties as a result of the war. “We’re trying to solve a problem.”
Trump told Zelensky, “You’re in no position to dictate what we’re going to feel,” predicting that “we’re going to feel very good and very strong.”
“You’re right now not in a very good position,” Trump also said to the Ukrainian president. “You don’t have the cards right now.”
As the two presidents engaged in crosstalk, Trump assured his Ukrainian counterpart that “with us, you start having cards,” while asserting that “you’re gambling with the lives of millions of people.”
“You’re gambling with World War III and what you’re doing is very disrespectful to the country, disrespectful to the country, this country, that’s backed you far more than a lot of people said they should have,” Trump added.
Vance jumped in and asked Zelensky if he had ever “said thank you” during the meeting. While Zelensky insisted that he had, Vance implied that Zelensky had an ulterior motive by bringing up how the Ukrainian leader “went to Pennsylvania and campaigned for the opposition in October.”
Zelensky accused Vance of speaking “loudly,” which prompted Trump to proclaim, “he’s not speaking loudly.” Trump stressed to Zelensky that “your country is in big trouble.” The Ukrainian president responded, “I know.”
“You’re not winning,” Trump maintained. “You have a damn good chance of coming out OK because of us.”
After Vance accused Zelensky of trying to “litigate” disagreements between the U.S. and Ukraine in front of the media, Trump took issue with Zelensky’s rejection of a ceasefire.
Trump touted a ceasefire as a way to ensure that “the bullets stop flying and your men stop getting killed,” stressing Zelensky should be “more thankful” for all the U.S. has done for his country.
The meeting ended with Trump kicking Zelensky out of the White House without holding a planned joint press conference or signing a rare minerals deal with Ukraine.
Trump elaborated in a statement shared on social media, describing the meeting as “very meaningful” while concluding that “Zelensky is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations.”
“I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE,” he stated. “He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he’s ready for Peace.”
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ryan.foley@christianpost.com
