The Wall Street Journal reported, based on a poll conducted across seven states, that voters favour former President Donald Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris when it comes to their policies regarding the war in Ukraine and the Middle East. “Trump leads Harris among swing-state voters, 50% to 39%, on who is best able to handle Russia’s war in Ukraine and has a wider advantage, 48% to 33%, on who is better suited to handle the Israel-Hamas war,” the publication noted.
At the same time, the publication notes that independent American experts partly support Trump’s lead. Nearly half of them are convinced that the former U.S. president would handle the Russian-Ukrainian war better, while only about a third of those surveyed expressed support for Harris.
However, we are well aware of Trump’s statements regarding the Russian war in Ukraine. Recently, during a campaign event in North Carolina, he stated, “After three years of terrible fighting, Ukraine is absolutely destroyed, and millions and millions of people are dead,” adding that “all millennial cities, except for Kyiv, are destroyed.” Trump further asserted that “there is no Ukraine because it is no longer Ukraine” and emphasised that “there won’t be enough funds for its reconstruction, even if the whole world comes together.”
Additionally, Mike Johnson, the Republican Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, voiced his support for Donald Trump’s potential victory in the presidential elections, remarking that he “has no desire to continue funding Ukraine.”
“I don’t have an appetite for further Ukraine funding, and I hope it’s unnecessary. If President Trump wins, I believe he can bring that conflict to a close. […] I think he’ll call Putin and tell him that this is enough. So whatever the terms are, I’m not sure, but I think if Kamala Harris is president, I don’t think it ends, and that’s a desperate and dangerous scenario,” said Mike Johnson in an interview with Punchbowl News.
Oleh Shamshur, a diplomat and former ambassador of Ukraine to the United States (2005-2010) and France (2014-2020), shared his insights with The Ukrainian Week on the implications of such statements regarding Ukraine and whether Trump’s rhetoric would shift should he secure victory in the upcoming presidential elections in the United States.
“Previously, some of Donald Trump’s statements regarding the Ukrainian ‘direction’ hinted at the possibility that he might take appropriate actions if elected president. However, his stance on Ukraine is now shifting unfavourably for us. This primarily pertains to his firm opposition to providing military and other forms of assistance to Ukraine,” stated Oleh Shamshur.
He added that as an alternative to the current administration’s policies, Trump asserts that if re-elected as president of the United States, he could end the war “in 24 hours” and resolve all issues over the phone, even before his potential inauguration.
“The Republican candidate himself has been notably reticent about revealing the specifics of his ‘plan.’ However, insights from vice-presidential candidate James David Vance and other close associates of Donald Trump suggest that his strategy may involve pressuring the Ukrainian side into a ceasefire, potentially including calls for territorial concessions,” remarked Oleh Shamshur, the former ambassador of Ukraine to the United States.
Shamshur also weighed in with The Ukrainian Week on whether Trump’s rhetoric would shift following a victory in the upcoming presidential election.
“Could Trump’s rhetoric and, more importantly, his actions shift in a more favourable direction for Ukraine after January 20? At present, I find myself with far more reasons for concern than even limited hopes for improvement,” he expressed.
The former ambassador of Ukraine to the United States further remarked that there are no definitive guidelines on how the international community should react to such statements from a presidential candidate, especially in Trump’s case.
“There are no binding obligations: those who feel compelled can voice their opinions. Moreover, this applies particularly to someone who lacks official status,” Oleh Shamshur asserted.
