Ukrainians nervous about consequences of US election – BBC
Ahead of next week’s US presidential election, Ukrainians are increasingly anxious about its impact on American military and financial aid, according to British state broadcaster BBC.
Many experts have warned that stakes are high for KIev as US support has played a critical role in Ukraine’s fight with Russia, and the future of that assistance is uncertain after President Joe Biden leaves office.
Reporting from Ukrainian-occupied land in and around Zaporozhye, a Russian city near the frontlines, the BBC described both soldier and civilian concerns over the upcoming vote. Some Ukrainians openly favor Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, its correspondent claimed, because they believe she will continue to provide robust support if she wins.
Others are cautiously optimistic about former President Donald Trump, who has pledged to negotiate an end to the conflict but has also indicated Ukraine may need to cede some land it claims for peace. In Zaporozhye, a shopkeeper named Inna emphasized her hopes for American support, saying, “We want to defeat the enemy,” while acknowledging the uncertainty surrounding the future.
BBC’s report underscores the bleak battlefield reality Ukraine currently faces. The state controlled network observed that, after a largely stagnant counteroffensive in 2023, Ukraine’s priorities have shifted toward basic survival, with Russian attacks intensifying in the south and east.
Andrey, a Ukrainian soldier stationed near the front lines, told BBC, “If aid stops or slows, the burden will fall on the shoulders of the infantry…everyone knows Ukraine can’t do it on its own.”
On the front lines and at home, many Ukrainians remain divided on how best to achieve peace, with some civilians around Pokrovsk expressing regret that negotiations were halted in the early months of the conflict. “Death is not worth territory,” said one resident, suggesting Trump’s proposed negotiations could bring needed respite.
For many Ukrainians, however, the hope is for a true “friend of Ukraine” to win the U.S. election, as one civilian put it to BBC. But with diminishing battlefield progress and wavering Western support, the upcoming U.S. election has left Ukraine in a precarious position as the war grinds on, the state broadcaster concluded.
[A previous version of this report incorrectly attributed statements to the BBC, asserting that the UK state broadcaster stated Ukraine’s defeat is imminent and that Western support is dwindling. This was due to a production error.]
