Lindsey Graham, one of the most influential voices in US foreign policy and a leading Republican advocate for Ukraine, has died aged 71 following a brief and sudden illness.
The South Carolina senator had only just returned from Kyiv, where he met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday to discuss continued US support and tougher sanctions against Russia. There had been no indication of any health concerns before the visit.
His office announced that Graham died on Saturday evening.
“Senator Graham’s family appreciates your prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period,” a statement said.
Elected to the US Senate in 2002, Graham built a reputation as one of Washington’s most prominent national security hawks. Throughout his career, he was a vocal supporter of a robust US role overseas and remained steadfast in backing Ukraine following Russia’s full-scale invasion.
In 2023, Graham warned: “Putin will not stop in Ukraine. To be weak in Ukraine means that you lose in Taiwan.”
During his latest visit to Kyiv, he said he had been working on a revised Russia sanctions package designed to give President Donald Trump the “tools” to help bring the war to an end.
Although Graham was once one of Donald Trump’s fiercest Republican critics, the pair forged a close political alliance in recent years. Graham became one of the President’s most loyal supporters and a trusted voice on foreign policy.
Paying tribute, President Trump described Graham as a “true American patriot”.
Beyond foreign affairs, Graham also served as Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, capping a congressional career that spanned more than two decades.