Ukrainian authorities prepared for possible Trump victory in U.S. presidential election — WP
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Ukrainian authorities are preparing for a possible victory
by Donald Trump in the U.S. presidential election, according
to The Washington Post, citing its sources. Some officials in President
Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s government privately acknowledge they see positives in a
potential Trump win.
Ukrainian top officials see advantages in Trump’s probable
victory, despite his repeated criticism of U.S. military spending on Ukraine
and calls for a quick end to the war, which could benefit the aggressor
country, Russia. The official position of the Ukrainian government, however, is
that Kyiv will work with whoever the American people elect as
president—steadfastly adhering to the principle of non-interference in U.S.
domestic affairs as an ally.
As WP reminds, Trump and President Zelenskyy previously had
a strained relationship. In 2019, Trump, while serving as U.S. president,
suspended military aid to Ukraine in an alleged attempt to pressure Zelenskyy
into “digging up” dirt on Joe Biden’s son, Hunter, concerning his business
dealings in Ukraine. These efforts led to Trump’s impeachment by the House of
Representatives on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, but
he was acquitted by the Senate.
Ukrainian officials dismiss the idea that Trump’s victory in
the 2024 election would be a disaster for official Kyiv and that they fear such
a scenario. Optimism prevails in Zelenskyy’s office about the possibility that
the Ukrainian leader could influence Trump if they established a personal
connection, WP reported.
“Naturally, [Zelenskyy’s administration] is more connected
to Trump,” said a Ukrainian official, who worked in Zelenskyy’s government
during Trump’s first term in the White House, speaking on condition of
anonymity.
According to the source, Zelenskyy has always seen a
similarity between himself and Trump. This, in the opinion of the Ukrainian
president, will help them build good relations, as both came to power with
unconventional backgrounds and from outside the political system—Trump was from
the business world, while Zelenskyy was an actor and comedian.
President Zelenskyy and his team “like simple solutions,”
the official told WP. “And Trump is a guy of simple solutions,” he stated.
The Republican presidential candidate has repeatedly said he
would help Ukraine and Russia reach a quick peace agreement if he wins the
election on November 5, although he has not provided specific details. His
running mate, J.D. Vance, whom many Ukrainian officials view with suspicion,
has spoken about a peace plan that would freeze current front lines, leaving
large parts of the country in Russian hands.
Additionally, Trump has publicly referred to President
Zelenskyy as “one of the greatest salesmen I’ve ever seen,” hinting at his
success in securing U.S. aid for Ukraine. However, Trump also placed some blame
for the Russian-Ukrainian war on the Ukrainian president, claiming he “should
have never let this war start.”
Two other Ukrainian officials told WP that although many of
Trump’s statements regarding Ukraine have been negative, they consider them
merely part of the election rhetoric, which may not necessarily correlate with
his actions as U.S. president if elected.
Furthermore, Ukrainian officials point to Trump’s actions
toward Ukraine during his presidency, including the first U.S. deliveries of
lethal weapons to the Ukrainian army in 2019. While Trump publicly praised
Putin, his administration was seen in Moscow as “hawkish.” Additionally, at
that time, the White House achieved new sanctions against Russia.
However, some Ukrainian officials acknowledge the high
potential for worsening conditions and express concern that Trump would insist
on territorial concessions from Ukraine during negotiations—a position that
Zelenskyy’s administration categorically opposes.
Nonetheless, there is a feeling among Zelenskyy’s team that
Trump may not want to appear weak on the world stage and may ultimately take
more decisive actions in support of Ukraine.
Trump’s position on the war between Russia and Ukraine
It was previously reported that the former U.S. president
has repeatedly promised to quickly end the war in Ukraine after winning the
presidential election. He stated he knows both Russian dictator Vladimir Putin
and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy very well, so he would be able to “solve
this problem very quickly.” He also claimed he could end the war “in 24 hours.”
Trump has said he would “allow” Russia to seize part of Ukraine and that the
U.S. is sending too many weapons to Ukraine.
At the same time, in May 2024, The Washington Post reported
that Trump said at one of his campaign events that he would bomb Moscow if it
began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine during his time in the Oval Office.
In response to Trump’s campaign promises, the President of
Ukraine emphasized that the Russian dictator cannot be stopped through
agreements. He expressed a desire to see Trump in Ukraine so he could witness
the consequences of the war firsthand.
One of Trump’s national security advisors, retired
Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg, has stated that Trump is considering a new “peace
plan” aimed at bringing Russia and Ukraine to the negotiating table.
On Sept. 12, Republican vice-presidential candidate J.D.
Vance said Trump’s plan for ending the war between Russia and Ukraine might
involve creating a “demilitarized zone” in territories occupied by
Russia—requiring official Kyiv to abandon its NATO aspirations.
On Oct. 31, President Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine would
not make territorial concessions that Trump might propose in the event of his
victory in the U.S. presidential election.
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