In Republicans' Mega Loss In US Midterms, A Possible Win For Ukraine

A historic Democratic wave painted the US Congress blue as American voters rebuked US President Donald Trump and rejected the candidates he'd propped up in key races. Republicans were washed out of power in places the party hadn't lost in generations, including a Senate seat in Kansas, where Democrats won for the first time since the 1930s, and a slew of statewide offices in Texas, where they hadn't won any since the 1990s.

Widely seen as a referendum on Trump's second term, the US midterm results will not only affect the president's internal policy but could also derail his global aspirations as well. Trump has long wanted to be seen as a peacemaker and is likely to continue to push Ukraine to agree to a settlement with Russia. 

Fresh trilateral talks are set for next week. But Trump's leverage with the leaders he views as his great power equals -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin -- may be hit by his midterm defeat.

The election hammering comes less than two weeks before the three could potentially meet at a summit in China later this month.

In Trump's Defeat, A Win For Ukraine

When Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Democrat Joe Biden was in the White House. At the time, the US stood beside Ukraine as a reliable partner, extending financial aid, military expertise, and large-scale weapons deliveries. But the situation changed after Trump came to power, starting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's frosty welcome during his 2025 visit to the White House. 

Trump, who has openly admited that he gets along better with Putin than with Zelensky, has suspended sanctions against Russia and reduced financial and military aid to Ukraine. 

Now, with a Democratic majority in both chambers of Congress, Ukraine's agenda may get a boost.

"Democrats criticise the Trump administration for not doing enough for Ukraine," Brandon Conradis, an editor at Bloomberg Government, told DW. 

Now, "They can push legislation that would provide more aid to Ukraine," he said.

If Trump still tries to veto such legislation, the outcome would depend on the balance of power in Congress. But a two-thirds majority could override the presidential veto with support from some Republicans.