Midterms Put Trump’s Ukraine Policy Under Pressure — SkimNews
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- Democrats won a sweeping midterm victory that shifted the balance of power in Congress, delivering what the source calls a “massive blow” to Trump and Republicans; Ukraine was hardly mentioned during the campaigns.
- Trump rolled back U.S. support for Ukraine before the midterms, cutting crucial strike intelligence to Kyiv before restoring it, reducing military aid and suspending several Russia sanctions; he cited U.S. interests and possible electoral benefits from lower gas prices, while Zelensky said the move helped Russia.
- Congress can hold hearings, subpoena officials and control spending, but James Green said it will struggle to change the administration’s foreign-policy route over the next two years, even if it slows the car.
- Pew Research Center polling from 2025 found 67% of Americans distrust Putin and six in 10 view Russia as an enemy; the source notes that many Democrats and some Republicans have championed Ukraine even as Democrats prioritize a 2028 White House program.
- Peskov said Russia hoped to finalize a U.S.-China-Russia leaders’ summit at November’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in China; Trump said Ukraine would be discussed and that he would meet to end the war “whether somebody is there or not.”
- Institute for the Study of War said Russia may have secured a temporary air advantage through jet-powered drones and a shortage of Patriot missiles that can intercept ballistic missiles; unless Western military aid dries up entirely, Russian victory is not inevitable and the war is likely to continue.
- Democrats in Congress would, in the author’s assessment, almost certainly reject a great-power settlement excluding Ukraine or conceding 20% of its territory; Putin may also exploit Trump’s domestic weakness with a settlement Trump can claim as a victory.
Why it matters: Congressional Democrats gain oversight tools—hearings, subpoenas and control of spending—while presidential discretion remains broad. With 67% of Americans distrusting Putin, Trump faces a sharper political obstacle to any Russia settlement that excludes Ukraine or concedes 20% of Ukrainian territory, even as the war remains far from a clear Russian victory.
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