US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham dies after sudden illness

U.S. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham has passed away after a sudden illness, his office announced on Sunday. The senator died on Saturday evening, though the location of his death was not specified in the statement.

Graham had been in Kyiv as recently as Friday, where he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. During his visit, he announced that a bill to intensify sanctions against Russia had been coordinated with the White House. This engagement underscored his long-standing commitment to supporting Ukraine and opposing Russian aggression.

A prominent figure in the Senate, Graham was a vocal critic of Vladimir Putin's Russia long before the annexation of Crimea and the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. He repeatedly visited Kyiv and was a co-author of key legislation supporting Ukraine and imposing sanctions on Russia. His advocacy for Ukraine was a consistent theme throughout his later career.

While initially a critic of Donald Trump, Graham later became one of the president's most steadfast allies in the Senate. He also supported military action against Iran and was known as a strong supporter of Israel. Graham represented South Carolina in the Senate from 2003 and previously served in the House of Representatives from 1995.