Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) called on the United States to categorize Russia as a state-sponsor of terrorism and begin training Ukrainian pilots on F-16 jets for their war against the country.
Graham said that the "most catastrophic thing" that could happen to the United States's relationship with China is if the country gives lethal weapons to Putin. Graham called for marking Russia a state-sponsor of terrorism under U.S. law to make it more difficult for China to aid the war against Ukraine.
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"To the Chinese: If you jump on the Putin train now, you're dumber than dirt," Graham said in an interview on ABC's This Week. "Don't do this. The most catastrophic thing that could happen to [the] U.S.-China relationship, in my opinion, is for China to give lethal weapons to Putin in his crime against humanity. It would change everything, forever."
In a rare moment of solidarity with the White House, Graham also said he agreed with Kamala Harris that Russia had committed "crimes against humanity" as the one-year anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine approaches on Feb. 24.
He said the symbolism of the vice president's comments made in Munich, Germany, echoed the atrocities committed in World War II.
"We're talking about the Vice President of the United States declaring that Russia is involved in committing crimes against humanity in Germany of all places," Graham said. "How can you say that — and she is correct — and not give the victim of the crime against humanity defensive weapons they need to stop the crime?"
His comments come after Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the State Department will release information that indicates China is "considering" taking on a more active role in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
"Now, if that happens, the world needs to come down hard on China," Graham said of Beijing supplying Russia with weapons. "Any country that comes to their aid needs to pay a heavy price."
The South Carolina senator praised the bipartisan support for aiding the war in Ukraine, adding that he has never seen NATO countries so united in providing weapons to Ukrainians to defend themselves.
Graham added that he is not fearful of enraging Russian President Vladimir Putin further by providing more aid or training Ukrainians in F-16 flight training.
"I'm not worried about provoking Putin — I want to beat him," Graham said. "And how do you beat him? You beat him by giving the Ukrainians the military capabilities to drive the Russians out of Ukraine, you label Putin's Russia as a state-sponsor of terrorism, you create international tribunals so we actually can try Putin and his cronies in an international court like we did after World War II."
In 1994, the Ukrainians gave up their nuclear weaponry in exchange for recognition of Ukraine's territorial sovereignty, which included Crimea, from the United States, Great Britain, and Russia.
"I see solidarity across the aisle in America and across the seas," Graham said.
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Graham said to "forgive and forget" Russia's invasion of Ukraine and annexation of Crimea in 2014, which began the war between Ukraine and Russia, would allow Putin to get away with major war crimes.
"It would send a signal to China that we are all talk," Graham added. "What's at stake here is the rule of law, human decency, and world order."