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.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. 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.