Donald Trump is projected to win the swing state of Wisconsin, putting him safely across the benchmark needed for victory with 277 electoral votes.
Trump has claimed victory over Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris earlier on Nov. 6, promising a "golden age of America" and a "stop (to) the wars." World leaders, including Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, have congratulated Trump's reelection.
In U.S. presidential elections, a candidate does not have to win a majority of the popular vote but at least 270 electoral votes, which are allocated per state based on population. The candidate who comes first in a given state typically receives all the electoral votes in that state.
While Democrats have won Wisconsin in the majority of recent presidential elections, the state went for Trump in the 2016 election against Hillary Clinton. In 2020, U.S. President Joe Biden won Wisconsin in a close race.
The U.S. election comes at a pivotal time for Ukraine, as Russia continues its grinding advance in the east while intensifying aerial strikes against densely populated cities.
Harris supporters ran ads in Wisconsin highlighting the vice president's commitment to Ukraine in a bid for the state’s Eastern European votes. The Polish community in Wisconsin represents about 8% of the population.
Harris has promised to continue the Biden administration's support for Ukraine's defense, while Trump has boasted about ending the war immediately and refused to say he wants a Ukrainian victory.
Trump has also spoken warmly of Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who have formed a military alliance and whose troops are reportedly fighting side-by-side in Ukraine.
Martin Fornusek
