In a remarkable comeback that saw Donald Trump win the electoral college and popular vote in the Nov. 5 election, the 78-year-old conservative will take office on Jan. 20 more powerful than ever, with Republican control of the Senate and possibly the House of Representatives.
While Trump’s pre-election campaign was largely focused on domestic issues, concern has loomed in Kyiv about Trump’s return due to his criticism of U.S. military assistance for Ukraine, whose army continues battling Russia’s full-scale invasion for a third year now.
Trump’s promise to swiftly end the war, his history of fancy for Russian President Vladimir Putin, and routine election campaign criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also fuel worry that he will pressure Kyiv into accepting a peace agreement that would involve ceding some of 20% of state territory currently occupied by Russia.
"They said ‘he will start a war.’ I’m not going to start a war,” Trump said in a victory speech early in the morning of Nov. 6, adding “I’m going to stop the wars."
After asking Ukrainians in Kyiv, soldiers, and politicians for their reaction to Trump’s victory, the Kyiv Independent has turned to Ukrainians in the U.S. to respond to what they make of Trump’s now-certain return to the White House.
Mykola Melnyk
Mykola Melnyk, a 39-year-old officer in Ukraine’s Armed Forces who served as a company commander of the 47th Mechanized Brigade, has been in the U.S. for months, receiving treatment for injuries he sustained during the 2023 counteroffensive in southern Ukraine.
“Everyone knows that it will not be like under (outgoing U.S. President Joe) Biden when aid kept flowing but slowly and diminishing,” Melnyk said. “Now Ukraine aid will either increase or stop altogether.”
For Melnyk, Trump has contradicted himself so many times in his statements on Russia and Putin that he isn’t sure what is ahead for Ukraine.
“Trump is hostage to his voters,” Melnyk said. “His voters want to return the U.S. to its greatness and actually putting Putin in his place might be an option for Trump to satisfy his voters.”
Dara Lesniak
Dara Lesniak is an active member of New York City’s Ukrainian community who spent the months preceding the election advocating for U.S. support of a Ukrainian victory. She is the president of the Ukrainian Club at Columbia University.
“I’m not surprised by the election results, but I am worried for Ukraine’s future,” Lesniak said.
“While Trump’s policy position on the war in Ukraine has been unclear throughout the whole campaign, as we came closer to election day, Trump’s rhetoric on the issue became more concerning,” Lesniak said. “His refusal to say he wanted Ukraine to win in the presidential debate was particularly concerning.”
Lesniak said there is so much uncertainty with Trump, but the turning point for her was his selection of JD Vance to be America’s next vice president. She said it’s not clear to what extent Trump shares the isolationist views of Vance, but the former and future president’s actions suggest his administration will head toward Vance’s seclusion.
Lesniak said she heard from many Ukrainians who fear Trump’s presidency will reduce the amount of U.S. aid sent to Ukraine. Despite this, Lesniak is holding onto a bit of optimism.
“I believe there is hope in that we as advocates for Ukrainian victory will have to double down on our efforts next year.”
Chris York
Taras Mahlay
Taras Mahlay, a medical professional and the board president of the Cleveland Maidan Association, a nonprofit providing aid to Ukraine, is concerned about the loss of life in Ukraine due to Russia’s war and the unpredictability of Trump’s future administration.
As someone who organizes aid sent to Ukraine, Mahlay is worried about war fatigue and how it may affect America’s willingness to donate money and resources to efforts like his to support Ukraine. He wants to see an administration that continues to send humanitarian and military aid to Ukraine but is uncertain if Trump will.
Mahlay is worried that Trump’s plan to end the war in Ukraine rapidly involves ceding Ukrainian territory and that his understanding of that is only through the lens of land lost, not human suffering.
“If we stop the war and leave the borders as is right now, what happens to the people behind the curtain? That's my concern,” Mahlay said. “If it was a simple thing about giving up the land, I think we just give up the land (but) it’s the people, it’s our culture, it’s everything that’s there besides the physical land.”
Mahlay said he was anxious about what is to come under Trump, not just for Ukraine but for the world.
Nataliya DeMarco
Nataliya DeMarco, a Ukrainian American living in Pennsylvania, said she is overcome with disappointment.
“As a woman and proud Ukrainian American, I am devastated, heartbroken, and in disbelief that the American people have chosen such an incompetent leader,” DeMarco said.
Trump’s victory will have repercussions beyond Ukraine, she said.
“Sadly, it is not only bad news for Ukraine, but also for our children and grandchildren who will bear the heavy consequences of this decision in the future.”
Andriy Boechko
For Andriy Boechko, a Parma, Ohio resident who moved from Lviv, western Ukraine, in the 1990s, there is a feeling of uncertainty following Trump’s victory.
“Trump never actually presented any foreign policy plans – just some vague ideas,” he said. “He also has a history of flip-flopping on major issues.”
A registered independent, Boechko voted for Kamala Harris believing that she would have been better for Ukraine. Now, he’s accepted a position of remaining cautiously optimistic.
“I do think that Trump is more decisive and he does have people on his team that are supportive of Ukraine.”
For the resident of a robust Ukrainian community in northeast Ohio – one of the largest Ukrainian diaspora concentrations in the country – nothing will change, he says.
“I will continue doing my part in helping Ukraine,” Boechko said. “It is the responsibility of every Ukrainian to do so.”
Chris York
