Lviv, Nov 2 (EFE).- Ukrainians are watching the midterm elections in the United States with cautious hope, as some expect stronger US support if the Republicans are defeated or a reduction in recent tensions between Kyiv and Washington regardless of the result.
Few in Ukraine expect a return to the times of Joe Biden, when the US provided a key share of direct military and financial support and maintained steady pressure on Russia. However, Congress could still play a significant role despite Donald Trump’s hold over foreign policy, Ukrainian MP Oleksandr Merezhko noted.
“Congress is the voice of the people and the president cannot ignore it. The more congressmen speak out in support of Ukraine, against any attempts to forge business projects with Russia, the better for Ukraine,” Merezhko, who heads the Parliament’s foreign affairs committee, underlined to EFE several weeks after Trump announced a diesel deal with Moscow.
Securing bipartisan backing
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has avoided direct criticism of Trump yet has been critical of US attempts to improve relations with Russia in the run-up to the elections, set for 3 November and expected to give the Democrats a majority in at least one chamber.
The most recent surveys show that a majority of both Republican and Democratic voters support Ukraine in its war against Russia.
Therefore, Kyiv is acting cautiously and trying to maintain or expand bipartisan support without alienating either side.
“I do not divide the American Congress into Republican and Democratic parties. For us, the victory of one party is important: the party of supporters of Ukraine,” Merezhko underlined, noting that many Republican congressmen continue to back Ukraine.
“It is important when they express their outrage over the Russian attacks on the population and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. The president must listen to them,” Merezhko said.
Hopes for more support
The halt of direct US military supplies and financial support after Trump took office in early 2025 stripped Washington of major leverage over Ukraine, which has adapted through innovation on the battlefield and increased backing from other partners.
“We have survived and have to become even stronger so that we pay as little attention as possible to what the US or others do or say,” Vasyl, a 39-year-old volunteer soldier, told EFE from the Donetsk region.
However, Ukraine remains dependent on the US for ballistic attack warnings, Starlink satellite internet and air-defence ammunition. This has forced Kyiv to balance pursuing its interests with the need not to anger Trump, pausing strikes against Russian refineries for almost two weeks before renewing them several days before the elections.
Following the election, Ukraine hopes to see at least some increase in support, particularly in air defense, Merezhko noted. The US has agreed to sell 500 Patriot missiles to Ukraine, yet deliveries are not expected to begin until 2030.
“Perhaps Congress will help make this happen sooner, on the eve of winter,” Merezhko underlined from Kyiv, where Russian strikes left parts of the city without electricity on Monday.
A Democratic majority in the Senate could give Congress greater scope to take decisions that reflect American public sentiment and include support for Ukraine, political analyst Vitaliy Portnikov has also said.
At the same time, some fear that the loss of a majority by the Republicans could lead to destabilization and internal conflict in the US, in which Trump might turn even more negative towards Ukraine or present it as a scapegoat for his potential setback.
The sooner the elections end and the sharpness of the political struggle fades, the better for Ukraine, Merezhko underlined, adding that Kyiv needs to step up its attacks against Russian oil refineries to deprive Moscow of the resources needed to continue the war.
“Once the situation calms down, we will be able to move on to a more constructive interaction with the Trump administration,” Merezhko said. EFE
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