The prospect of victory for former President Donald Trump, the Republican contender, has long concerned Kyiv, which fears he would choke off support and force Ukraine to sue for peace on terms that favor Russia. The Kremlin launched its full-scale invasion in early 2022, leading to more than two years of war.
But while the Democrats hope Biden’s decision to drop out and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris will inject energy into their campaign, it's unclear whether it makes Trump's defeat more likely. Officials in Moscow, widely thought to favor Trump, were noncommittal.
“The Ukrainians are pretty disappointed with Biden,” said Edward Lucas, a senior adviser at the Center for European Policy Analysis. “Biden’s dithering has a price, paid in the destruction of Ukrainian infrastructure and the slaughter of Ukrainian civilians, and in unnecessary battlefield casualties.
“So although Trump might be worse … a continuation of the Biden line is already pretty grim.”
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