Zelenskyy hopes for more US support after midterm elections

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he hopes the outcome of the US midterm congressional elections, won by the Democratic Party, will shift the balance of power in Washington and bring Ukraine greater support in its war against Russia. He made the remarks in an interview with the German public broadcaster ZDF. American assistance is a key factor in Ukraine's ability to resist the Russian invasion.

What the election results mean

In the midterms, the Republican Party of President Donald Trump lost its majority in both houses of Congress.

Zelenskyy said signals are always heard during election campaigns. According to him, Democrats indicated that if they won, they would focus not only on domestic issues but also on the war in Europe, meaning Russia's war against Ukraine. He stressed that Ukraine already enjoys bipartisan support and is grateful to both Democrats and Republicans, but that Democrats spoke particularly clearly during the campaign about backing and assisting Ukraine.

In Zelenskyy's view, some of the ties between America and Europe have been lost over the past two years. He considers that alliance very important, since without it stopping Russian President Vladimir Putin is extremely difficult.

Impact on Russia and negotiations

Zelenskyy noted that if Congress began discussing strong financial support for Ukraine or arms deliveries, similar to what Europe is providing today, it would be a positive development for Ukrainians. He believes this would influence Putin and make him consider whether continuing the war makes sense.

The Ukrainian leader said that, logically, such a scenario would bring potential negotiations and potential peace closer.