WASHINGTON – Lindsey Graham’s bipartisan relationships and stature on the global stage drove world events one last time Tuesday, as a gathering for his funeral produced a possibility for peace.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in town for Graham’s memorial service, had a “productive” meeting with President Trump at the White House that resulted in diplomatic wins — a restart of peace talks and a bipartisan rallying around a Russia sanctions bill that Graham pushed in his final breaths.

Graham was one of Ukraine’s biggest champions. Known for his frequent international travel to war zones and his efforts to shape American foreign policy, the late senator was also a passionate supporter of Israel. Both Zelensky and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attended his funeral service at the National Cathedral.

Before the somber gathering, Zelensky walked out of a White House meeting with good news. Trump’s top two envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, will soon travel to Ukraine for the first time, shifting the peace talks from Moscow to Kyiv in a big breakthrough for the Ukrainian leader. 

A Ukrainian official confirmed plans for Witkoff and Kushner’s visit soon after Trump and Zelensky met behind closed doors for almost exactly one hour at the White House Tuesday morning, during which they discussed stalled peace talks with Russia as well as Zelensky’s request for more American weapons.

The visit by Witkoff, who was also at Graham’s funeral, and Kushner is expected to take place within the next few weeks, but their schedule is not yet finalized. The pair will focus on jump-starting negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow.

Witkoff, 69, has traveled to Russia at least eight times — accompanied by Kushner on one occasion — as the Trump administration has tried to coax Russian President Vladimir Putin back to the bargaining table. 

But now they’ll go to Kyiv. And Zelensky, in his short visit to the US, also made progress on his desire to obtain a license to make Patriot missiles, discussing the issue with the president and meeting with executives at Lockheed Martin.

Graham visited the Ukrainian president in Kyiv the day before he died and was pushing his colleagues to pass additional sanctions on Russia in response to Moscow’s invasion of its neighbor.

The Senate is taking a test vote on the sanctions bill Tuesday night with support from both Republicans and Democrats. Senators have united around it in the wake of Graham’s death, and it’s expected to also include Iran sanctions.

Named after Graham, the legislation is a package of sanctions and tariff authority targeting Russian oil sales, which funds the war on Ukraine.

Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), speaking in favor of legislation, said Graham will be remembered for “his steadfast love for freedom and his intolerance for tyrants.”

The bill named for Graham “reflects those aspects of his personality. I have suggested that it is his greatest political achievement.”

Wicker added only Graham could “bring this bill so far in this environment with these stakes. He brought together so many parties. It seems he did this almost through the sheer force of his will.”

Trump also remembered Graham’s backing of Ukraine, the site of the senator’s final foreign trip.

“Ukraine, he was very militant about,” Trump said of Graham during a phone interview on “Fox & Friends” Tuesday morning. “I mean, Lindsey liked war, to be honest with you.”

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, also in Washington for Graham’s funeral, had a “positive” meeting with Trump despite the president rebuking him publicly shortly before their sitdown.

Netanyahu arrived at the White House six minutes after Zelensky departed. The two men may have missed each other at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, but they sat a few seats from each other – in the same row – in the National Cathedral for the late senator’s memorial. The duo talked before the service began.

Ahead of their sitdown, Trump publicly rebuked Netanyahu after The Post reported that the leader of the Jewish state was expected to present Trump with evidence that Iran is pursuing nuclear technology at its subterranean Pickaxe Mountain site.

Trump reacted Tuesday morning harshly when asked about the Israeli leader’s visit and his plans to prevent evidence about Pickaxe Mountain.

“Well, I don’t need Bibi to tell me that. Bibi is telling me that because he wants me to stay involved,” Trump told “Fox & Friends.”

Despite the prickly statement, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the nearly 90-minute Oval Office sitdown was “positive and productive.”

Graham was a steadfast ally to both Ukraine and Israel.

The late senator, who died July 11, 2026, at the age of 71 of cardiovascular disease, fought for both countries to receive American financial and military aid.

Graham, who had a close relationship with the president, served as a bridge between Trump’s desire to put “America first” and assert the US’s role in world affairs.

Trump, in his eulogy, remembered Graham’s status as a global diplomat.

“Nothing of significance happened anywhere in the world without Lindsey Graham having a view on it,” he said.