KYIV, Ukraine (AP) 鈥� With the death of , Ukraine lost a close ally in President orbit, leaving its leaders grappling with the implications for their war-torn country.
Graham had been in Ukraine two days prior, standing in Kyiv鈥檚 St. Michael鈥檚 Square, flanked by the golden domes of the monastery and the burned-out remains of Russian military equipment.
There, he offered Ukrainians reason to be optimistic, telling reporters that sweeping new hard-hitting economic sanctions against Russia, legislation he had spent years pushing with Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal, were finally within reach. He would be heading back to Washington to meet with bipartisan leaders to advance the proposal.
Two days later, on Sunday, the world learned of his .
Ukrainian officials and lawmakers were devastated by the news. For years, Graham had been one of Kyiv鈥檚 closest allies in Washington and a trusted intermediary with Trump, who had a strained relationship with President .
Now, officials fear that without Graham, Ukraine鈥檚 ability to influence the White House could be diminished across a broad range of issues, not just the fate of the Russia sanctions bill.
鈥淗uge and absolutely unexpected loss,鈥� said Oleksandr Merezhko, a lawmaker with Zelenskyy鈥檚 party. 鈥淗e was truly indispensable. I even don鈥檛 know who might be as important for us now in Trump鈥檚 entourage.鈥�
鈥淗e was the closest link between Ukraine, our president and Trump,鈥� he added. 鈥淥ur position in Trump鈥檚 entourage might be weaker.鈥�
Zelenskyy said he had 鈥榗onstant dialogue鈥� with Graham
Condolences poured in from senior Ukrainian officials including Zelenskyy, who remembered Graham as one of Ukraine鈥檚 staunchest champions in Washington and someone who was in constant contact with Kyiv.
Zelenskyy said he was 鈥渄eeply saddened鈥� by the senator鈥檚 sudden death, noting that Graham had visited Ukraine 10 times since and had been with Ukrainians 鈥渨hen it was most needed.鈥�
鈥淲e were in constant dialogue and will miss that greatly,鈥� Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram, recalling that the two had met twice last week, at the NATO summit and again during Graham鈥檚 visit to Kyiv.
Parliamentary Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk described Graham as a 鈥渟teadfast friend of Ukraine鈥� whose support was 鈥減rincipled and resolute.鈥� He said he would always remember their 鈥渕eaningful, sincere, and warmly personal meetings,鈥� adding that he believed Graham鈥檚 efforts to impose tougher sanctions on Russia would be carried forward despite his death.
With Trump鈥檚 return to the White House after the Biden administration, Ukrainian officials moved swiftly to cultivate relationships with Republicans close to him amid growing uncertainty over future U.S. backing. Graham became a central figure in those efforts, lawmakers said at the time.
Oleksandr Kraiev, a political analyst at the think tank Ukrainian Prism, said Graham was an unusually prominent figure in Ukraine.
鈥淕raham is even more well-known and more popular among Ukrainians than many Ukrainian politicians,鈥� Kraiev said.
Without Graham, Ukraine could lose an influential advocate with direct access to Trump, Kraiev said.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 see anyone else who will take the lead in helping Ukraine maintain those necessary connections,鈥� he said.
In a break from many Trump supporters, Graham stayed focused on Ukraine
Graham was a political phenomenon now rare in a Republican Party where Trump has absolute control.
The senator steadfastly held onto more traditional conservative foreign policy values that included staunchly opposing Russia, being especially hawkish on Iran and pushing the White House to even more fully embrace Israeli Prime Minister .
Graham also was a vocal supporter of traditional U.S. allies in Europe at a time when Trump threatened to and with increasing zeal.
The senator maintained those views despite them often putting him at odds with many vocal supporters of the isolationism and 鈥淎merica First鈥� approach of the president鈥檚 鈥淢ake America Great Again鈥� movement.
Although Trump frequently ridicules Republican members of Congress he perceives as not sufficiently loyal, he remained close to Graham and listened to him, especially on foreign policy matters.
A powerful voice in the Senate, even Democrats noticed Graham鈥檚 independent streak with much of the rest of his party.
鈥淗e marched to his own drummer,鈥� Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut, said in a statement. 鈥淗e could be strong-minded, fiercely driven, and sometimes unpredictable, but also deeply compassionate and sympathetic when he saw suffering and injustice.鈥�
Graham鈥檚 support of Ukraine bumped up against Trump’s complaints that the U.S. was spending too much money to help the besieged country.
Still, Graham thought he was close to advancing legislation bolstering economic sanctions against Russia. Blumenthal said he鈥檇 spoken to Graham over the weekend and that the South Carolinian was 鈥渆xulted鈥� about the prospect of moving such a package forward.
Blumenthal added that the bill should now be passed as a 鈥渇itting tribute鈥� to Graham.
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Weissert reported from Washington.
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