South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, a close aide of US President Donald Trump, has died. He was 71 years old.
While the news was first spread by a Washington Post reporter, it was later confirmed by the senator’s office on X.
In an official statement, Graham’s office wrote that the Republican leader passed away due to a “brief and sudden illness.”
“Senator Graham’s family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period,” the statement added further.
Graham, who is considered a close aide of Trump, was last seen in Kyiv, where he went for a visit to meet with Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelensky.
Speaking to the Ukrainian President, Graham stated that the war between Ukraine and Russia can be ended through a mediation effort from China.
“The road to ending this war, the road to peace, passes through Beijing more than it does (through) Washington, Kyiv, or Moscow. China has an oversized influence. I’d like them to use their influence for the good of the world,” Graham told reporters at Mykhailivska Square in Kyiv.
“I don’t believe (Russian President Vladimir) Putin is there yet, but it wouldn’t take much to get him there. And the sooner we can have a dialogue about peace, the quicker this war is over,” he added further.
