Midterms 2026: after the Republican rout, Ukraine nurtures the slim hope of curbing the American drift in favor of Russia

Following Donald Trump's electoral defeat, Kirill Dmitriev, a close associate of Vladimir Putin, visited Washington. His official agenda included discussions on humanitarian issues related to Ukraine, but he aimed to negotiate the lifting of U.S. sanctions on his investment fund. Despite the Democratic victory in Congress, Russia hopes Trump will continue to pursue business deals with them, disregarding Ukraine's situation. Analysts suggest Trump is politically weakened, which could allow European nations to regain some U.S. support for Ukraine. Recent actions, including a deal for Russian diesel and threats to halt U.S. intelligence to Ukraine, have raised concerns about U.S. commitment to the country.