‘Your purchases killed civilians’: Who is Lindsey Graham, the US senator slamming India over Russian oil?

Following the Trump administration’s narrative, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham has also tied together US tariffs, the Russia-Ukraine conflict and India’s role in the energy market.

On Wednesday, Graham reacted sharply to reports of a deadly Russian strike on Ukraine that killed at least 23 people in Kyiv. His message on X directly called out India, China, and Brazil for their continued purchase of Russian crude.

“India, China, Brazil and others who prop up Putin’s war machine by buying cheap Russian oil: How do you feel right now that your purchases have resulted in innocent civilians, including children, being killed? India is experiencing the cost of supporting Putin. To the rest, you will soon too,” he wrote on X.

For Graham, the link between Russia’s hydrocarbon revenues and the continuation of its war in Ukraine has been consistent.

Speaking previously on NBC, he declared: “Without oil and gas revenue, Russia collapses… the whole goal is to crush its customers – India, China, Brazil.”

His remarks dovetailed with Trump’s trade measures, which imposed a steep 50 per cent tariff on Indian exports to the United States.

The latest tariff increase followed an initial 25 per cent duty earlier in the year, with an additional 25 per cent announced this month specifically targeting Indian purchases of Russian oil.

New Delhi, according to estimates cited by AP, expects the tariffs to affect nearly $48.2 billion worth of goods. Indian officials fear that the new duties could render shipments uncompetitive in the US market, raising the risk of lost jobs and slowed economic growth.

The Kyiv strike that prompted Graham’s comments also damaged the European Union’s diplomatic mission.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the bombardment as “another massive attack against our cities and communities,” while rescue operations continued to pull civilians from the debris of apartment blocks.

500%: How Graham has previously targeted India

Beyond lending support to Trump’s executive decisions, Graham has been crafting sweeping legislative measures of his own.

Earlier this year, he introduced a sanctions bill in the US Senate designed to penalise not only Russia but also nations that continue to purchase its oil and other key commodities.

Speaking to Fox News in July, Graham explained, “Trump is going to impose tariffs on people that buy Russian oil – China, India, and Brazil.”

He claimed that these three markets account for a significant share of Moscow’s crude exports, enabling Russia to sustain its military campaign.

The bill he introduced in April proposes tariffs of up to 500 per cent on imports from countries buying Russian oil. It would also impose sanctions on Russia itself, including financial restrictions, visa bans, and property freezes targeting Kremlin officials and institutions.

According to Graham, “Big breakthrough here. So what does this bill do? If you’re buying products from Russia and you’re not helping Ukraine, then there’s a 500 per cent tariff on your products coming into the United States. India and China buy 70 per cent of Putin’s oil. They keep his war machine going.”

The draft legislation includes provisions that empower the US president to respond if Russia: refuses to negotiate a peace agreement with Ukraine; violates an agreement once reached; initiates another military offensive; or seeks to undermine Ukraine’s government.

It also restricts the rerouting of US-origin energy products to Russia, closing potential loopholes.

Graham has pointed out the bipartisan backing for the measure. “My bill has 84 co-sponsors. It would allow the president to put tariffs on China, India, and other countries to stop them from supporting Vladimir Putin’s war machine and get him to the table. For the first time yesterday, the president told me … I was playing golf with him. He says, ‘It’s time to move your bill,’” Graham told ABC News at the time.

Although Politico has reported that the bill in its current form would require multiple levels of congressional approval, Graham is confident of progress.

He suggested that Trump, who has often favoured a more unilateral executive style, would push to streamline its provisions.

What we know about Lindsey Graham

Lindsey Olin Graham’s political rise is underpinned by a lengthy career in law and military service. Born on July 9, 1955, in Central, South Carolina, Graham pursued law before joining the US Air Force in 1982 as part of the Judge Advocate General’s Corps.

He served until 1988, working as both a defence attorney and chief prosecutor in Europe. Continuing in the Air Force Reserve during his congressional years, he attained the rank of colonel and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal in 2014 for meritorious service.

Although Graham did not participate in direct combat, his service bolstered his reputation as a staunch defence advocate.

He transitioned to politics in the early 1990s, serving in the South Carolina House of Representatives from 1993 to 1995. He then represented South Carolina’s 3rd congressional district in the US House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003.

In 2002, he successfully contested for the Senate seat he still holds today. He secured re-election in 2008, 2014, and 2020, becoming one of the most prominent Republican lawmakers from the South.

Where Graham stands on foreign policy

Over the years, Graham has built his profile as a defence hawk, championing strong military action and robust foreign engagement. He has often aligned with neoconservative views that favour interventionist policies abroad.

While early in his career he occasionally partnered with Democrats on issues ranging from campaign finance reform to immigration and judicial nominations, he has more recently taken positions closely linked with Republican hardliners on national security.

Graham’s criticisms of the Tea Party movement once marked him as a more centrist voice within the GOP, but his increasingly hard line on defence matters has come to define his role.

His advocacy for tough measures against Russia reflects a continuation of his broader approach to international affairs.

How Graham transitioned from a Trump critic to a trusted ally

Perhaps the most striking chapter in Graham’s career has been his evolving relationship with Donald Trump. During the 2016 presidential campaign, Graham was among Trump’s fiercest critics.

He called the then-candidate a “jackass” for belittling his close friend US Senator John McCain, whom Trump claimed was “not a war hero.” Trump, in turn, retaliated by publicly disclosing Graham’s personal cellphone number at a rally.

At that time, Graham repeatedly voiced disdain for Trump’s rhetoric and approach. He called him “a race-baiting, xenophobic, religious bigot” and declared, “I’d rather lose without Donald Trump than try to win with him.”

On another occasion in 2016, Graham warned, “If we nominate Trump, we will get destroyed… and we will deserve it.” He also told CNN, “I don’t think [Trump is] racist but he’s playing the race card… I think it’s very un-American.”

In the 2016 general election, Graham did not cast his vote for Trump, instead backing independent candidate Evan McMullin.

Yet, by 2017, following a private meeting with Trump, Graham began to shift his stance. He publicly acknowledged warming relations, even giving Trump his new phone number after their earlier feud.

Later, Graham joined Trump for golf games and began offering vocal support. By 2018, he had declared his backing for Trump’s re-election, and in 2019 he warned Republicans not to undermine Trump, saying, “If we undercut the president, that’s the end of his presidency and the end of our party.”

Through Trump’s first term, Graham frequently defended him on national television and became one of his most reliable allies in the Senate.

He campaigned for Trump in 2024, appearing at rallies and urging other Republicans to follow suit.

After Trump’s electoral victory in 2024, Graham called it “the biggest comeback in American history.”

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With inputs from agencies

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