Ukraine fears it will have a weaker link to Trump after Sen. Lindsey Graham's sudden death

By — Samya Kullab, Associated Press Samya Kullab, Associated Press By — Will Weissert, Associated Press Will Weissert, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/ukraine-fears-it-will-have-a-weaker-link-to-trump-after-sen-lindsey-grahams-sudden-death Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Ukraine fears it will have a weaker link to Trump after Sen. Lindsey Graham's sudden death World Jul 13, 2026 3:17 PM EDT KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — With the death of Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, Ukraine lost a close ally in President Donald Trump's orbit, leaving its leaders grappling with the implications for their war-torn country. Graham had been in Ukraine two days prior, standing in Kyiv's St. Michael's Square, flanked by the golden domes of the monastery and the burned-out remains of Russian military equipment. READ MORE: Trump urges S.C. governor to appoint Sen. Graham's sister as temporary replacement 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. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Two days later, on Sunday, the world learned of his sudden death. Ukrainian officials and lawmakers were devastated by the news. For years, Graham had been one of Kyiv's closest allies in Washington and a trusted intermediary with Trump, who had a strained relationship with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Now, officials fear that without Graham, Ukraine's ability to influence the White House could be diminished across a broad range of issues, not just the fate of the Russia sanctions bill. WATCH LIVE: Senate returns to Washington after sudden death of Sen. Lindsey Graham "Huge and absolutely unexpected loss," said Oleksandr Merezhko, a lawmaker with Zelenskyy's party. "He was truly indispensable. I even don't know who might be as important for us now in Trump's entourage." "He was the closest link between Ukraine, our president and Trump," he added. "Our position in Trump's entourage might be weaker." Zelenskyy said he had 'constant dialogue' with Graham Condolences poured in from senior Ukrainian officials including Zelenskyy, who remembered Graham as one of Ukraine's staunchest champions in Washington and someone who was in constant contact with Kyiv. Zelenskyy said he was "deeply saddened" by the South Carolina senator's sudden death, noting that Graham had visited Ukraine 10 times since Russia's full-scale invasion and had been with Ukrainians "when it was most needed." READ MORE: Sen. Lindsey Graham likely died after aorta tear, preliminary medical exam finds "We were in constant dialogue and will miss that greatly," Ze