The death of Lindsey Graham: Zelenskyy and Trump react to the senator’s death

US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who was one of the most influential supporters of Ukraine in the US Congress, died on the evening of 11 July at the age of 71. His office stated that the cause of death was “a brief and sudden illness”. Meanwhile, NBC News, citing emergency services, reports that the senator likely died of a heart attack.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his condolences to the politician’s family, loved ones and colleagues, describing Graham as a man who consistently defended freedom and democratic values.

He visited Ukraine ten times during the years of Russia’s full-scale invasion and stood by our people when it was most needed. We maintained a constant dialogue, and I shall miss him. We met twice in the last week alone,” wrote Zelenskyy.

According to the president, in recent weeks the senator had been actively working on initiatives that could bring peace closer, in particular on increasing sanctions pressure on Russia and maintaining bipartisan support for Ukraine in the US.

“We will always be grateful to him for his respect for the Ukrainian people and the courage of our defenders. America and the whole world have lost a resolute leader,” Zelenskyy emphasised.

US President Donald Trump also expressed his condolences. On his social media platform Truth Social, he described Graham as “one of the greatest senators and a true American patriot”, noting that he would be sorely missed.

According to NBC News, on the evening of 11 July, the emergency services arrived at the senator’s home on Capitol Hill following reports of a cardiac arrest. Journalists who obtained a recording of the police radio communications reported that paramedics carried a man out on a stretcher and loaded him into an ambulance. However, staff at the senator’s office maintain that shortly before the tragedy, he had not complained of feeling unwell and was even preparing to appear on Sunday’s episode of NBC News’ Meet the Press.

Lindsey Graham represented the state of South Carolina in the US Senate for almost 24 years. Over the course of his political career, he became one of the most prominent advocates of Washington’s hardline foreign policy, consistently calling for increased pressure on Russia and emerging as one of Ukraine’s most active American allies following the outbreak of full-scale war.

Graham’s political career was also marked by a dramatic shift in his relationship with Donald Trump. During the 2016 presidential campaign, the senator was one of the future president’s harshest critics; however, following his victory, he became one of Trump’s key allies within the Republican Party.