Wednesday 01 / October / 2025
Washington: Former US Senator Richard Lugar has passed away at the age of 87.
According to news release issued by the Lugar Center, which he founded and led, the cause of death was complications from chronic inflammatory demylinating polyneuropathy (CIDP).
Lugar was the longest serving senator from the state of Indiana, where his bipartisan work on foreign policy was highly influential.
A six term senator for the Republican Party, Lugar gained a reputation for his civility and bipartisan work. He was awarded the Medal of Freedom by former President Barack Obama in 2013 for his efforts to work with all parties to solve problems.
Lugar would play a key role in the fall of Filipino strongman Ferdinand Marcos and gained renown for his efforts to end apartheid in South Africa. But it for his work to boost nuclear non-proliferation that he is best remembered.
Lugar worked to prevent the spread of dangerous weapons, eventually partnering with Democratic Senator Sam Nunn of Georgia to establish the Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) Program. Under the initiative, the US provided funding for states in the former USSR to dismantle and decommission nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons.
According to the Lugar Center, the CTR has deactivated more than 7,600 soviet nuclear warheads.
In a statement, Obama recalled his time with the senator, saying, "I first worked with Dick when I was a freshman senator, in an effort to expand his landmark 1991 nuclear nonproliferation framework. We held different political beliefs, but travelling overseas together, he took me under his wing as we toured munitions storage facilities and talked over meals of borshct.
"Dick always stuck to the facts. He understood the intricacies of America's power and the way words uttered in Washington echo around the globe. But perhaps most importantly, he exhibited the truth that common courtesy can speak across cultures. In Dick, I saw someone who wasn't a Republican or Democrat first, but a problem-solver-an example of the impact a public servant can make by eschewing partisan divisiveness to instead focus on common ground," he added.
"Today, thousands of warheads, bombers, and submarines no longer threaten us because of Dick's work. America is safer because of Dick; the world is, too."
Former President Bill Clinton, also said, "Former US President Bill Clinton said, "Dick Lugar was a man of great decency who was widely respected for his willingness to reach across the aisle in the name of good policy. I always liked working with him because he was on the level. His service made America safer and stronger."
Representative Adam Schiff, Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, also wrote, "I was inspired to run for office by leaders like Richard Lugar whose work on nuclear nonproliferation made the world a safer place.
"One of the last true statesmen, his decency will be sorely missed."
The Embassy of Poland in the US also issued a statement that read, "With sadness we learned of the passing of Senator Richard Lugar, a great friend of Poland and strong supporter of Poland's entry into NATO.
"In 2007 he was awarded the Commander Cross with Star of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland by President Lech Kaczyński. RIP."
