US Senator's Fiery Exchange With Top Putin Aide Over Trump's Truce Deadline

US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham had a fiery exchange with Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev over US President Donald Trump's dramatic new deadline to Russia to end the war in Ukraine or face tough new sanctions. Asking Medvedev, a close aide of Russian President Vladimir Putin, to get the Kremlin to the "peace table", Graham warned Russia and its "customers" of the consequences of the "bloodbath" in Ukraine wouldn't end soon.

Graham seemed to be referring to his earlier warning that the Trump administration would impose steep tariffs on Moscow's trading partners-- including India and China-- if they don't stop buying Russian oil amid Russia's war in Ukraine.

"To those in Russia who believe that President Trump is not serious about ending the bloodbath between Russia and Ukraine: You and your customers will soon be sadly mistaken. You will also soon see that Joe Biden is no longer president. Get to the peace table," the Republican wrote on X.

To those in Russia who believe that President Trump is not serious about ending the bloodbath between Russia and Ukraine:

You and your customers will soon be sadly mistaken. You will also soon see that Joe Biden is no longer president.

Get to the peace table. https://t.co/IRWk9I0Ljf

— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) July 28, 2025

He also signalled that US lawmakers were willing to back the President in his efforts to end the conflict.

"Congress stands ready, in an overwhelmingly bipartisan fashion, to help President Trump in his efforts to get the parties to the peace table," Graham said in another post on X, in which the senator also said Trump's frustration with Putin is understandable.

Graham-- who has proposed a bill calling for 500 per cent tariffs on goods from countries continuing to trade with Russia-- was replying to Medvedev's post on Trump's ceasefire deadline, where he warned that US pressure was pushing Moscow towards war with Washington.

"Trump's playing the ultimatum game with Russia: 50 days or 10... He should remember 2 things: 1. Russia isn't Israel or even Iran. 2. Each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war. Not between Russia and Ukraine, but with his own country. Don't go down the Sleepy Joe road," Medvedev wrote.

Trump on Monday announced that he was reducing an earlier 50-day deadline set on July 14 for Putin to bring the Ukraine conflict to an end to "about 10 or 12 days", starting immediately.

"There is no reason in waiting..."I really felt it was going to end. But every time I think it's going to end, he kills people. I'm not so interested in talking (to him) anymore," Trump said, adding he thought Putin would want to end things quickly.