It is expected that Donald Trump will handle the responsibility of the US president in January 2025. His return to power raises many serious questions about US foreign policy, especially in the case of Ukraine. In the Russia-Ukraine war, Ukraine heavily depended upon US aid. Trump often criticized this aid and wanted to stop the aid and also the war with Russia. He doesn’t think about the position of Kyiv.
There is a little bit of complication between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. This complication was enhanced after the 2019 impeachment inquiry connected to their communications. However, in the last visit to the US Zelensky made efforts to strengthen its relationship with the nation. But this visit didn’t bring any significant progress, particularly with Republicans.
Furthermore, the members of Trump’s administration, including J.D. Vance and Tulsi Gabbard are famous for their strong opposition to Ukraine. Trump’s opinions about NATO also lessen the hopes of Ukraine. Many have said that Trump will adopt an approach that ended the war but will be unfavorable to Ukraine. This effort by Trump may add many challenges to the ongoing conflict.
Despite all of these difficulties, Kyive remains hopeful. Ukrainians remember Trump’s first presidential era. This was the time when the United Nations sent Javelin missiles to Ukraine and confronted Russian mercenaries in Syria. These actions make people hopeful for Trump that he will never stop aid to Ukraine if he loses trust in Putin.
At the same time, some have said that it is also expected that Trump’s peace plan will fail because Russia won’t compromise at any cost. If this happens then Trump may increase US support for Ukraine instead of reducing it. His selected advisors, Mike Waltz and Marco Rubio give Kyiv confidence in strong U.S. support.
To maintain bipartisan support, Kyiv is also fostering contacts with both U.S. political parties. Inviting Western companies to exploit Ukraine’s resources is part of Zelensky’s strategy, which would appeal to Trump’s commercial interests.
Supporters of Poroshenko and other opposition parties have been encouraged by Trump’s possible comeback. They see chances to attack Zelensky, regardless of whether he compromises with Trump or maintains his position and jeopardizes relations between the United States and Ukraine.
Many former well-wishers of the Ukrainian president now criticized him badly. They are taking advantage of the situation and opposing him to get the attention of the people. According to former advisor, Oleksiy Arestovych, Trump may demolish the Ukrainian President. While, Oleksandr Dubinsky, a former party member said that Trump may continue the aid to Ukraine.
Some supporters of Ukraine such as the Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOCMP) are happy to see Trump return to power. This is because they hope that President Trump will bring peace and efficiently end the war.
Trump’s return makes things uncertain. No one is clear about his future actions. What will he do to end the war? Trump’s return to power could bring big changes. This includes long-delayed presidential elections in Ukraine, possibly in 2025, as rumors suggest.
Ukrainians are worried about Trump’s election because they don’t know how he would handle the battle with Russia. In 2021, 64 percent of Ukrainians backed Biden, compared to just 30 percent who supported him during his previous tenure. Eighty-nine percent trusted Biden during the Russian invasion in 2022.
Many Ukrainians are becoming more open to making peace-related concessions as the conflict rages on. In 2024, 32 percent of the population was amenable to territorial concessions, up from 10 percent in 2022. 52 percent of Ukrainians want the war to end swiftly through discussions, according to a recent survey.
While some fear Trump would blame Ukraine for difficult choices that could result in territorial losses, others view Trump as a strong leader who will take on Putin. Ukraine could be taken aback by Trump’s election since his “America first” stance may restrict US assistance if it conflicts with his agenda.
