'If we pull the plug on Ukraine, it would be worse than Afghanistan,' US senator claims

ISTANBUL

Ukraine could face disastrous consequences if the US doesn't resume military aid and intelligence sharing with the embattled nation, warned a senior US senator and member of President Donald Trump’s Republican Party.

"As long as the fighting is going on, if we pull the plug on Ukraine, it would be worse than Afghanistan," Lindsey Graham told Fox News Sunday.

"Until we have a ceasefire, I would give Ukraine what they need in terms of intelligence and weapons to defend themselves," he added.

"In terms of Russia, I’ll be introducing sanctions on their banking sector and their energy sector next week, urging them to get to the table."

"If they don’t engage in ceasefire and peace talks with the administration, we should sanction the hell out of them," he added.

Graham's comments came just days after the Trump administration halted military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday confirmed that the US has paused military aid to the former Soviet republic.

Though European countries are moving to make up for the cutoff in US military aid, analysts say Europe lacks the capabilities to make up for the loss in US intelligence.