Shadow Diplomacy and Sanctions Sabotage: The Constitutional Crisis Brewing in Ukraine

In May and June 2025, a bipartisan delegation including Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Kyiv, Ukraine, where they publicly advocated for escalating sanctions against Russia, China, and India. Their visit and messaging directly contradict President Trump’s ongoing diplomatic approach, which emphasizes restraint, strategic de-escalation, and renewed peace negotiations. This white paper explores the constitutional and national security implications of such rogue diplomacy, warns of the precedent it sets, and offers recommendations to restore executive primacy in foreign affairs.

I. Background and Context

The United States Constitution places the authority over foreign policy firmly within the Executive Branch. Article II, Section 2 vests the President with the power to conduct diplomacy, command the armed forces, and negotiate treaties. While Congress holds sanctioning power and oversight responsibilities, no individual member or coalition has the authority to represent U.S. foreign policy abroad without Executive coordination.

“A lot of countries still buy Russian oil and gas but less. Some European countries still have relationships with Russia, but they’ve been very helpful to Ukraine. So I want to carve them out,” Graham told reporters Wednesday.

“I tell China, if you don’t want to have a 500 percent tariff, help Ukraine.” Lyndsey Graham

In May 2025, Senator Graham led a delegation to Ukraine alongside Senator Blumenthal and Mike Pompeo. During the visit:

  • The group praised Ukraine’s drone strikes on Russian airfields.
  • They announced a bipartisan push for a “Sanctioning Russia Act” targeting any country trading with Russia.
  • Graham and Pompeo gave statements suggesting bipartisan U.S. commitment to military and economic escalation.

These actions were taken without President Trump’s authorization and occurred while his administration was pursuing diplomatic de-escalation and ceasefire negotiations through backchannels.

“There’s some of our allies who’ve really helped Ukraine but would be affected by the bill, they’ve earned their way to get a carveout. Those who have helped Ukraine, meaningfully, will get a carveout. In other words you’ll incentivize people to help Ukraine.” Lyndsey Graham

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US Refuses Air Cover For European ‘Reassurance Force’ In Postwar Ukraine

The British and French-led effort to establish a ‘coalition of the willing’ to stand up to Russia and defend Ukraine just hit another major roadblock, as Bloomberg is reporting Wednesday the US has effectively vetoed a plan to provide American air defenses to back a “reassurance force” for postwar Ukraine.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has been insisting that US-backed air defenses are key to any future permanent settlement plans for ending the war. Western proposals for ending the war have all featured foreign-backed and monitored security guarantees for Ukraine.

On this, Starmer had said back in February that “There must be a US backstop” and that the “US security guarantee is the only way to effectively deter Russia from attacking Ukraine again.”

After Western billions already sunk into keeping Ukraine’s military and civic infrastructure afloat, the UK and France are also seeking from President Trump pledges of future air power, and border surveillance and intelligence.

The Europeans also envision a strong, permanent security bulwark backed by the United States along NATO’s eastern flank.

Yet, President Trump has repeatedly warned allies that if NATO countries don’t pay their fair share they won’t be protected. This despite European leaders as well as some US politicians expressing recent concern that the Atlantic alliance is becoming weaker than ever, and that Article 5 collective defense is in peril.

Trump has lashed out at NATO countries for not even meeting their current two percent spending goal while the unfair burden has long fallen United States.

“We appreciate the work that the allies, particularly France and the United Kingdom together with Germany and others have undertaken to develop the coalition of the willing,” US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said at a press breifing Brussels on Wednesday. “We are counting on all our European allies to continue taking the leadership position in contributing military resources and providing the political capital to make security guarantees a reality.”

All of this comes as it was only on Tuesday that Dutch slapped down a proposal to increase defense spending to 3.5% of gross domestic product (GDP), key to NATO’s capability targets, in a non-binding motion.

While it doesn’t have legal force at this point, this makes clear parliament’s opinion, unleashing deeper tensions among NATO allies, and as the Trump White House exerts pressure to rapidly raise collective defense.

Also, Bloomberg reported separately Tuesday, “NATO is asking European member states to expand ground-based air-defense capabilities fivefold as the alliance races to fill a key gap in response to the threat of Russian aggression, people familiar with the matter said.” 

All indicators are that the Trump administration no longer envisions the United States as heading up NATO, especially when other countries can’t step up and pay their fair share.

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US Embassy Tells Americans Be Prepared To ‘Take Cover’ As Kiev Braces For ‘Shock & Awe’ Attack

The US Embassy in Kyiv has issued a new Wednesday heightened security alert due to “continued risk of significant air attacks” by Russia on Ukraine.

The Kremlin, including President Vladimir Putin himself, has said that major retaliation is coming, after the Sunday massive cross-border Ukrainian operation which destroyed many of Russia’s premier military aircraft, including long-range strategic bombers.

President Trump has said of an over one-hour phone call he held with Putin Wednesday, that “We discussed the attack on Russia’s docked airplanes, by Ukraine, and also various other attacks that have been taking place by both sides.” Trump went on to call it a good conversation, however “not a conversation that will lead to immediate Peace.”

The below official embassy alert, marked June 4, relays the following information for American citizens remaining in the Ukrainian capital [emphasis ZH]:

Event:  Russia has increased the intensity of its missile and drone attacks against Ukraine in recent weeks, and there is currently a continued risk of significant air attacks. The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv urges U.S. citizens to exercise appropriate caution.  As always, we recommend you be prepared to shelter immediately in the event an air alert is announced

Actions to Take: 

  • Identify shelter locations in advance of any air alert.
  • Download a reliable air alert app to your mobile phone, such as Air Raid Siren or Alarm Map.
  • Immediately take shelter away from windows in the most hardened location you can move to if an air alert is announced.
  • Monitor local media for updates.
  • Keep reserves of water, food, and medication.
  • Follow the directions of Ukrainian officials and first responders in the event of an emergency.
  • Review what the Department of State Can and Cannot Do in a Crisis

Of note in Trump’s phone call with Putin is that nothing was stated from Trump in the way of a US demand that Putin not retaliate against Ukraine (or at least which was not disclosed in his Truth Social post).

The absence of a preemptive condemnation for any major retaliation suggests that major aerial retaliation is indeed imminent, and that Washington ‘understands’ the tit-for-tat nature of what is likely about to happen.

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Warpig Lindsey Graham: A Russian Victory in Ukraine Will Be Worse than the Withdrawal of US Troops From Afghanistan

Warpig Lindsey Graham traveled to Ukraine this past weekend to pump up the hopes of the Ukrainian leader in the country’s ongoing war with Russia.

During his visit to Europe, Graham told reporters that a Russian victory in Ukraine would be worse than the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan.

Lindsey is getting desperate.

The globalist warmongers fear Trump’s work to bring peace to the region. The warmongers are shooting for World War III.

Senator Lindsey Graham: “The American withdrawal from Afghanistan was a terrible decision. It triggered the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It made America look weak in the eyes of the world. I told President Trump this privately, and now I’m telling him publicly: If this war ends as if we abandoned Ukraine, it will be even worse than leaving Afghanistan, and it will be a serious blow to global stability.”

Lindsey is a lunatic.

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Former CIA Chief Mike Pompeo Speaks at Odessa Conference – ONE DAY Before Ukrainian Surprise Attack on Russian Bombers – Demands Crimea Be Designated Ukrainian Territory – Calls for Complete Victory Over Russia – Includes Eerie Prediction of Upcoming Events 

Former CIA Director and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was the keynote speaker on Saturday at the Black Sea Security Forum in Odessa, Ukraine.

As President Trump continues to push for peace negotiations in the Ukraine-Russian War, former CIA Director Mike Pompeo flew to Ukraine to push “complete victory” over the Russian people in his talk this weekend at the Black Sea Security Forum.

The former CIA Director delivered a ten-minute speech before he sat and answered questions with Oleksii Goncharenko MP, Chairman of the Black Sea Security Forum, Ukraine, for another 19 minutes.

The Kyiv Post reported on the conference which is in its second year.

The Black Sea Security Forum in Odesa, initiated by a group of Ukrainian parliamentarians in 2024 under the leadership of Oleksii Goncharenko, has become the first and largest geopolitical event in southern Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion in 2022. It brings together key figures from national governments, international institutions and the expert community. This year’s event, whose main sponsor was Lord Ashcroft, took place from 30 May 30 to June 1. Kyiv Post was a media partner.

Mike Pompeo’s speech is also published on YouTube.

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UK pledges 100,000 new drones for Kiev

he UK has pledged to supply 100,000 new drones to Ukraine by April 2026, in addition to the 10,000 UAVs it sent last year. The announcement coincides with Britain’s newly unveiled Strategic Defense Review, which proposes steps to rearm its military in light of what it paints as a threat posed by Russia.

London has allocated £350 million ($470 million) from its £4.5 billion Ukraine military package to fund new drone deliveries to Kiev, according to a government statement on Wednesday. UK Defense Secretary John Healey is expected to detail the initiative at the upcoming Ukraine contact group meeting in Brussels.

“Ukraine’s Armed Forces have demonstrated the effectiveness of drone warfare,” London stated, admitting that Kiev’s demand for UAVs has provided a boost to the UK’s economy.

It also unveiled plans to use Ukraine’s drone experience to train its own military. In order to “learn the lessons from Ukraine,” the UK would allocate over £4 billion for autonomous systems and drones for its armed forces.

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World’s first drone combat textbook lands in Russian schools to train 1 million kids

Russia has formally introduced drone operations into its national school curriculum as part of a comprehensive initiative to train a new generation of unmanned systems operators. 

On Monday, Russian drone manufacturer Geoscan announced the release of the country’s first state-approved school textbook on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), designed for use in 8th and 9th-grade classrooms.

Titled Unmanned Aerial Vehicles: 8th and 9th Grades,” the publication is now included in the federal list of approved teaching materials, following formal certification by the Russian Ministry of Education. 

The course will be delivered under the “Robotics” module of the subject Labor (Technology), Russia’s equivalent of technical education.

World’s first drone ops textbook

Geoscan said this is “the only school publication on unmanned aircraft systems that has passed state expertise.” 

The textbook was co-developed with Russia’s largest schoolbook publisher, Prosveshcheniye, and reflects 14 years of the company’s drone R&D and eight years of experience in educational robotics.

Head of Geoscan’s educational projects, Mikhail Lutsky, said the material was not abstract theory, but “tested in practice,” forming a “ready-to-use course” to build applied piloting and engineering skills among Russian youth. 

The course spans 34 academic hours and includes chapters on UAV classifications, design, electronics, manual control, autonomous programming, and career trends in drone aviation.

The initiative is part of the Russian government’s “Personnel for Unmanned Aerial Systems” program, which aims to train 1 million drone operators by 2030 across over 500 schools and 30 universities. 

In 2023, approximately 30,000 university students in Moscow and St. Petersburg began similar coursework. In parallel, military training in schools has begun incorporating basic combat drone instruction.

The political backdrop to this education push is significant. In November 2023, a foundation linked to President Vladimir Putin’s youngest daughter, Katerina Tikhonova, acquired a 10% stake in Geoscan. 

The company is currently under US sanctions, reflecting broader Western concerns about the militarization of Russia’s youth education and its use of dual-use technologies.

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There are reports of the discovery of American military explosive C-4 at the site of the explosion of a bridge over a railway in the Bryansk region

Despite the fact that on the first day after the terrorist attack in the Bryansk region, when the automobile overpass collapsed in front of the passenger train “Klimov-Moscow”, something vague along the lines of “an external impact was involved” was heard, now things are called by their proper names. In the area of ​​the Bryansk village of Vygonichi, there was a deliberate blowing up of the supports of that very automobile overpass – a terrorist act that led to the death of people.

At the moment, there are more and more reports that as a result of collecting samples from the scene of the tragedy and their subsequent analysis, the presence of an explosive substance has been established. And this substance attracts special attention. This is the American explosive C-4. This is a plastic explosive based on hexogen, which was developed in the USA in 1956. It is an explosive for military purposes.

In total, about 10 kg of this substance was used to blow up the bridge, which eventually collapsed in front of a passenger train.

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Former CIA analyst: ‘100 percent sure’ CIA had some involvement in massive Ukrainian drone strike on Russian airfields

By now you’ve all heard something about Ukraine’s massive assault of killer drones that attacked Russian airfields housing Russia’s nuclear bomber fleet in Siberia and several other locations deep within the country’s heartland.

The mainstream narrative is that the operation took upwards of 18 months to plan and execute and was “personally overseen” by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Sorry, folks, but I don’t buy it. This attack was not something a guy like Zelensky, whose skill set includes being a former homo-erotic dancer and actor, was prepared for.

The attack, according to mainstream reports, took out 41 aircraft or roughly 34 percent of Russia’s fleet of strategic bombers.

Yet, other knowledgeable sources, such as former British diplomat Alastair Crook, estimate the number of lost Russian bombers at closer to 7, or roughly 5 percent of the country’s overall fleet. The Western media is always going to take information from Kiev at face value, rather than question it or compare it to what the Russian media is reporting.

Anyway, it’s fair to say that whether it was 5 percent, 10 percent or 34 percent, what happened on Sunday in Russia was a major propaganda victory for Ukraine and an embarrassing intelligence lapse for Russia.

Will it change the trajectory of the war between Russia and Ukraine? Absolutely not. And that trajectory has been going in Russia’s favor for months.

But one big unanswered question is how much, if anything, was known about this attack in the bowels of the Washington deep state in Washington, D.C.

Did the president himself know about it? The official line is that he did not.

However, that doesn’t mean the U.S. government wasn’t involved.

As former CIA analyst Larry Johnson said Monday in an interview with Judge Andrew Napolitano, the U.S. government would likely strive to give the president plausible deniability for an operation like this, which took place some 2,700 miles inside Russia and away from the frontlines of the ongoing war.

In a NATO proxy war against Russia, with Ukraine serving as the proxy, somebody in Washington and/or London had to of been involved in an operation as sophisticated and strategic as the one that went down in Russia on Sunday, Johnson said.

“I guarantee you,” he said. “At least one, if not more officers, within the Central Intelligence Agency knew about this and may have even been involved with the planning for it and the operation of it.”

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Zelensky Opens Peace Talks with Russia by Gloating about Sunday’s Bomber Attack Deep Inside Russia and Begging the West for More Weapons 

Illegitimate Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky opened his comments at the peace negotiations in Turkey by gloating about Sunday’s surprise attack deep inside Russia and begging the West (NATO) for more weapons to hurl at Russia.

Zelensky’s comments come the day after Ukraine and its Western allies pulled off a massive attack deep inside Russia.

Ukrainian drones on Sunday took out an estimated 36% of all Russian strategic aviation! $2 billion worth of damage!

Volodymyr Zelensky announced that 117 drones were used in the strike inside Russia that wiped out dozens of nuclear “doomsday” bombers and other aircraft.

President Trump WAS NOT NOTIFIED of the attack before it took place – because Trump wants peace and the globalists want World War and the annihilation of Russia.

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