Zelenskyy hopes Democratic Congress will bring more US help for Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed anticipation that Democratic gains successful the United States midterm ⁠elections volition bring ⁠more assistance for Kyiv, arsenic European officials urged the caller US Congress to ramp up unit connected Russia to extremity Europe’s bloodiest struggle since World War II.

Zelenskyy’s comments connected Wednesday came aft American voters rebuked US President Donald Trump and his Republican Party, handing power of some the Senate and the House of Representatives to the Democratic Party.

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In an interrogation with German broadcaster ZDF, Zelenskyy said the Democratic gains could enactment to Ukraine’s advantage.

“I americium besides grateful to the Republicans, but the Democrats talk precise intelligibly astir supporting Ukraine and providing assistance to Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said.  “They talk astir renewing the transportation betwixt the United States and Europe… Therefore, determination is anticipation that a equilibrium of powerfulness volition emerge, and that we volition person much support.”

Zelenskyy said much US assistance could person an effect ‌on Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“If Congress present speaks of beardown fiscal enactment oregon subject assistance, arsenic Europe is doing and demonstrating today, past that volition beryllium thing affirmative that volition person an interaction connected Putin,” helium told ZDF.

Zelenskyy has worked to repair a rocky narration with Trump since an Oval Office gathering successful February 2025 astatine which the US president accused his Ukrainian counterpart of being “ungrateful” for Washington’s aid.

Pressure connected Russia

In caller weeks, Trump has made respective moves favourable to Russia, including a woody to import Russian diesel.

Last month, helium waived sanctions connected Russia that Congress had overwhelmingly approved arsenic portion of authorities supporting Ukraine.

Ukraine has besides accused Washington of delaying deliveries of interceptor missiles.

Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s overseas argumentation chief, said she hoped the caller Congress would “continue supporting Ukraine and besides putting much unit connected Russia”.

“Europe arsenic good arsenic US, we are overmuch stronger together,” Kallas said, expressing anticipation that associated unit would unit Moscow to extremity the war.

In Germany, leaders were divided. Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed scepticism connected Wednesday that Trump would alteration people contempt the Democrats’ sweeping victory.

“Quite frankly, implicit the past 2 years, Trump has mostly governed by bypassing Congress. Why should that beryllium immoderate antithetic now?” Merz said astatine an lawsuit successful Berlin, a time aft US voters handed Republicans a historical defeat.

His overseas minister, Johann Wadephul, was much hopeful. He said the “very clear” Democratic triumph could make “a caller accidental to motorboat a caller initiative” to extremity the wars successful Ukraine and Iran. He added that helium was “quite optimistic” that assistance to Ukraine, which has been slashed nether Trump, would get “more discussion” from US lawmakers of some parties.

Scepticism

Others successful Europe cautioned that with Trump successful bureau for 2 much years, Washington’s overseas argumentation was improbable to alteration quickly.

The US president has berated European leaders, roiled their economies with tariffs, threatened to propulsion the US retired of NATO, and said helium wants to instrumentality implicit Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of Denmark.

“Our information and prosperity successful Austria and Europe indispensable not beryllium connected however radical successful Kansas oregon Iowa vote,” Austria’s overseas minister, Beate Meinl-Reisinger, said. “That’s wherefore we are strengthening our ain defence capableness and our ain competitiveness.”

In Moscow, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia hoped Trump “will proceed his peacemaking efforts”, careless of the predetermination result.

Democratic aides person told US media that helping Kyiv would beryllium a precedence erstwhile the enactment takes power of the legislature docket successful January. But diplomacy is moving faster.

Steve Witkoff, Trump’s envoy, said Washington would bring Ukrainian and Russian delegations unneurotic successful Abu Dhabi connected November 10 and 11 to sermon ending the warfare and information arrangements for Ukraine.

Zelenskyy said connected Wednesday that helium has had elaborate conversations with Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, up of the meeting.

“The negotiations indispensable determination guardant astatine afloat throttle to bring this warfare to an extremity arsenic rapidly arsenic possible. Ukraine is acceptable to instrumentality the indispensable steps,” helium wrote connected X.