New here? Start with this

Senator Lindsey Graham was a Republican politician from South Carolina who had served in the US Senate for more than two decades, becoming one of the chamber's most prominent voices on foreign policy and national security. He was widely known as a close political ally of President Donald Trump, and in recent years had also been a vocal supporter of Ukraine in its war with Russia, as well as a strong backer of Israel.

In the days before his death, Graham had travelled to Ukraine to meet President Volodymyr Zelensky, part of his long-standing involvement in shaping US policy on the conflict and on Western military support for Kyiv. He had also been engaged in discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu concerning American military assistance to Israel, reflecting his continued influence over US foreign policy debates right up until his death.

His death has prompted tributes from a wide range of political and international figures, illustrating the extent of his reach across different countries and political divides. The reaction underscores his standing as a senior US lawmaker whose views on international affairs carried weight both in Washington and among allied governments.