US Congressional Elections: How Washington’s Attitude to Ukraine Could Change
Фото: Reuters
A Democratic victory in the November 3 midterm elections could change the foreign policy course of President Donald Trump’s administration. With majorities in the House and Senate, Democrats will be able to push for new aid to Ukraine, demand control over military operations, and review defense funding and international support.
This is reported by Reuters .
Independent analysts estimate that Democrats have a chance of winning a majority in the US House of Representatives and possibly the Senate. This would allow the party to strengthen its influence in Washington after two years of Republican control.
Journalists identified 4 areas that Democrats could focus on if they win.
During the presidency of Donald Trump, direct US financial and military assistance to Ukraine was virtually halted, despite support for Kyiv from representatives of both parties in Congress.
Recently, Trump has caused discontent among congressmen, particularly Republicans, with his agreement with Russia on diesel fuel and his delay in introducing new anti-Russian sanctions under Senator Lindsey Graham’s bill.
If Democrats gain control of both houses of Congress, they will be able to determine which bills to bring to a vote and when. This will create the opportunity to approve new aid to Ukraine , including trying to get a 2/3 vote to override a presidential veto.
Additionally, Democratic Representative Gregory Meeks, who could lead the House Foreign Affairs Committee if Democrats win, introduced a bipartisan bill opposing Trump’s plan to return Russian diesel fuel to the global market.
Donald Trump launched a war with Iran on February 28 without prior congressional approval. Democrats have repeatedly supported resolutions to end hostilities . One of them was approved with the support of several Republicans, but the Trump administration did not implement it.
If Democrats gain control of the House or Senate, they could cut defense spending to force the president to seek congressional authorization to continue the war. They could also demand public testimony from administration officials about future plans.
Support for Israel among Democrats has declined due to its actions during the Gaza war, violence in the occupied West Bank, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s close ties with Republicans.
Democrats may try to limit or end military aid to Israel, which amounted to $3.8 billion in the last fiscal year.
Over the summer, nearly half of the House Democrats voted to cut off aid to Israel. Some of those who did not support this initiative, including Gregory Meeks, advocated for restrictions on arms supplies.
Democrats are more likely than Republicans to advocate for limiting military spending . This year, Trump proposed a 67% increase in the defense budget to $1.5 trillion. Democrats blocked the proposal in the Senate, citing a lack of consultation on war with Iran and significant cuts to social programs.
Trump has also suspended or canceled billions of dollars in foreign aid previously approved by Congress, a move Democrats oppose and say they intend to restore.
By the way, Russia has launched an influence campaign on the Internet before the midterm elections to the US Congress , which will be held on November 3. Moscow is trying to sow distrust among Americans and weaken the positions of politicians who support Ukraine.
It was previously reported that the election will take place against the backdrop of President Donald Trump’s declining approval ratings. His support among his own voters has dropped to an all-time low, and some Republican supporters may vote for Democrats.
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