He wants the horrific conflict to end.
Rev. Franklin Graham has called for an end to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, following a tense meeting last week between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, President Donald Trump, and Vice President J.D. Vance. Graham shared his thoughts on social media, acknowledging that the meeting did not conclude positively. He expressed disappointment that the hoped-for progress had been delayed and urged prayers for the people of Ukraine and for an end to the conflict.
As the CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and the charity Samaritan’s Purse, Graham has been actively involved in providing aid to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in February 2022. His organizations have supported refugees and deployed disaster response teams to Poland and Romania. In 2022, Graham also delivered an Easter sermon in Ukraine.
The meeting between Zelensky, Trump, and Vance became heated when Zelensky criticized Vance’s suggestion that the U.S. should adopt the Trump administration’s diplomatic approach with Russia. Tensions escalated as Trump and Vance expressed frustration with Zelensky’s remarks, with Trump telling the Ukrainian president that he was in no position to dictate how the U.S. should feel about the situation.
Trump emphasized that while Zelensky might be in a difficult position, the U.S. had been a strong supporter of Ukraine and had sacrificed a lot in doing so. Vance also questioned Zelensky’s gratitude, bringing up Zelensky’s campaigning for opposition leaders in Pennsylvania. The meeting ended abruptly, with Trump signaling that Zelensky was not ready for peace talks if the U.S. was involved, criticizing his approach and suggesting that Zelensky was more focused on gaining an advantage in negotiations rather than seeking peace.
Trump later stated that the meeting was “meaningful” but concluded that Zelensky was not prepared for peace talks. He suggested that Zelensky could return when he was ready to engage in discussions aimed at peace rather than conflict.