Donald Trump has been elected president of the United States for the second time, and this comeback has surprised more than a few.
What will a Trump presidency mean for Ukraine? Many Ukrainians remember his statements about the possibility of reducing aid in the war of survival that Ukraine has been waging against Russia for almost three years. On the other hand, some Ukrainians are tired of the policy of the Joe Biden administration, whose assistance in the war was considered by many Ukrainians to be insufficient.
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How do Ukrainians feel about Trump’s re-election? What emotions do they experience, and what do they expect? Kyiv Post went to the streets of Kyiv with a blitz survey of Ukrainians.
The prevailing emotion was uncertainty. Most respondents say that Trump is unpredictable. The only certain thing seems to be that something will change.
“It is not yet clear. We still have to wait. Putin will definitely not accept it, but we still have to wait,” Iryna, a university associate professor said.
“This is a casino game. Ukraine can't know what will happen with Trump. Were it Kamala Harris, we could theoretically say it would be the same as with Biden, but with Trump, it's a pure lottery. Either we win, or the status quo remains,” Arthur, a student noticed.
“For America, this might not be very good. For Ukraine - yes, maybe,” Maria, a student, said.
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Many hope assistance to Ukraine will increase, or at least won’t decrease.
“In my opinion, there will be changes for the better because there was already support from Trump – the first Javelins were provided during his term. I think there will be changes,” Denis, a ballroom dance coach, marked.
“I think he will even outdo Putin with his radical statements. He said he would bomb Moscow, so we are waiting. Perhaps he will provide us with missiles and allow us to use them,” Vasyl, the architect, noticed.
“When Trump first became president, we said how bad he was, that he was a clown, and so on. He became president, and what will his attitude toward the state be after such rhetoric? On the other hand, the United States has strong institutions, and the president is not a dictator there,” Illya, an assistant in the Department of Art History, said.
“I'm disappointed, to be honest. For some reason, I didn't expect Trump to win. On one hand, I am disappointed, but on the other hand, I am confident that the United States will continue to adhere to the strategy it has followed so far regarding Ukraine,” Oleksandr, a graduate student, marked.
Critics are wary of Trump's statements about ending the war “in a day.” which they perceive as a form of pressure on Ukraine.
“It upset me. Trump scared us with the idea that he would stop helping us with weapons and end the war, and he even promised to give his first call to the president of Russia,” Herman, the retired, said.
“I don't know. I think that both Harris and he are not ideal candidates for Ukraine, so it will be as it will be,” Sofia, a student, noticed.
But the main point that the majority agree on is that much will depend on Ukraine’s policies.
“For me, the election result is not essential. We must first look at our own government, not the American one. "But it's a key ally!" - I understand that it’s a key ally, but what it does depends on what we do,” Serhii, a cameraman, said.
“It will depend on our government and our society, and we all need to work hard to communicate normally with the United States, and with everyone. - They say that earlier, we communicated a lot with the Democrats and didn’t pay enough attention to the conservative camp. - I agree with this. We need balance – an understanding that everything is changing and that our government will change someday. So we need to maintain balance and communicate with everyone.” Jane Aliyeva, a company director, marked.
“Regardless of the preident of the United States, who has a lot of influence, everything ultimately depends on us. Be it under one president or another, our government has led us to climb a slippery road up against the rain and wind,” Volodymyr, a serviceman, noticed.
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