Senator Graham, in an attempt to pitch President Trump’s vision for solving the war in Ukraine, is acting as the former president’s emissary abroad by trying to temper Mr. Trump’s isolationist sentiments with a potential symbiotic relationship between America and the war-torn country. 

The South Carolina senator visited Kyiv on Monday to detail Mr. Trump’s vision for the future in a meeting with President Zelensky. 

“During my meeting with President Zelensky, I informed him that given the crisis at the United States’ southern border and our overwhelming debt, President Trump’s idea of turning aid from the United States into a no-interest, waivable loan is the most likely path forward,” Mr. Graham said on X.  

“This is not only true for aid for Ukraine, but for other countries across the board,” he continued. 

Mr. Graham visited Mr. Zelensky by himself — an unusual move for a senator. Lawmakers typically travel in large, bipartisan delegations to meet with foreign leaders to discuss critical issues. Just in February, the Republican chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Congressman Mike Turner, visited Mr. Zelensky with four of his House colleagues — two Democrats and two Republicans. 

Mr. Graham’s visit took place on the 10th anniversary of the annexation of Crimea by Russia. In a video posted online by Mr. Zelensky, Mr. Graham said that he was glad America has backed Ukraine until this point and hopes that Congress can soon reach an agreement to deliver more aid. 

The greatest obstacle to a Ukraine aid package has been Speaker Johnson and conservative House Republicans. Some members of the House GOP have said they will not support a foreign aid package under any circumstances and will offer a variety of reasons for such a refusal — citing, perhaps, the national debt or that America should not be entrenched in another foreign war. 

Mr. Johnson has so far refused to take up the Senate-approved bipartisan foreign aid legislation that offered nearly $100 billion in aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Free China. He says that the lack of border security provisions in the bill has made it “dead on arrival” for House Republicans. The Senate bill received 70 votes on the floor in February.

Senator McConnell has been adamant that a no-interest, waivable loan is not a viable option at this time, demanding that the House pass the bipartisan Senate bill. 

“Anything that’s changed and sent back here, as you all know, even the simplest thing can take a week in the Senate,” Mr. McConnell said at a press conference. “We don’t have time for all of this. We’ve got a bill that got 70 votes in the Senate. Give members of the House of Representatives an opportunity to vote on it. That’s the solution.”

Some Republicans have also raised concerns about graft and corruption in Ukraine as the war goes on. America’s top oversight official for the Ukraine spending, the special inspector general for Operation Atlantic Resolve, says that America has so far spent a total of $113.4 billion on the war, including economic assistance, weapons, and ammunition. 

It has taken the special inspector general more time than some would like to finish its reports. The work requires that the offices of inspectors general at federal departments complete their own audits. As of Tuesday, just 23 percent of all reports have been completed for fiscal year 2024, which ends in just more than six months. 

Mr. Graham made it clear to Mr. Zelensky that he and other Republicans support Mr. Johnson’s demand for border security measures in the foreign aid bill. “I reiterated that the House’s Ukraine aid legislation must include some American border security provisions,” Mr. Graham wrote on X. 

“Once Ukraine gets back on its feet, they will be an economic powerhouse because of their access to mass deposits of critical minerals, oil, and gas,” the senator said. “It is clear Ukrainians appreciate the United States’ support. I know Americans want to help our friends and allies, but I also believe we must consider our economic situation as we help others.”

“The only way to get relief to the Ukrainians and the Israelis quickly is for the House to figure out how to pass the Senate bill,” he said.