Senator Lindsey Graham died on Sunday, raising questions about Ukraine’s access to U.S. policy and the future of proposed sanctions on Russia.

Graham visited Kyiv two days before his death, meeting with Ukrainian officials and stating that new, stringent sanctions against Russia were within reach. He had been working with Senator Richard Blumenthal on legislation to impose those sanctions and was scheduled to return to Washington to discuss the proposal with bipartisan leaders.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was saddened by the loss and recalled that Graham had visited Ukraine ten times since the full‑scale invasion and had met with him twice in the previous week.

Lawmaker Oleksandr Merezhko, a member of Zelenskyy’s party, said Graham had been vital for Ukraine and that it was unclear who might replace his role in the Trump administration.

Analyst Oleksandr Kraiev of the think tank Ukrainian Prism said Graham was one of the most visible U.S. lawmakers supporting Ukraine and that his death could weaken Ukraine’s ability to influence policy, especially regarding sanctions.

Graham maintained traditional conservative foreign policy positions, including a firm stance against Russia, a hawkish view on Iran, and strong support for Israel, while opposing reductions in U.S. troop presence in Europe.

Senator Blumenthal said he had spoken with Graham over the weekend and described the Republican as enthusiastic about moving the sanctions bill forward, adding that the legislation should be passed as a tribute to Graham.

Ukrainian officials said they would seek to maintain contact with other Republican lawmakers to preserve U.S. support, but Graham’s death left a notable gap in direct access to the White House.