The U.S., which has supported Kyiv with military, energy and humanitarian aid since Russia’s February 2022 invasion, struggled late last year to pass aid packages in Congress because some Republican lawmakers refused to vote in favor. The impasse broke in April as lawmakers approved $61 billion in support.
If current Vice President Kamala Harris — whom Biden endorsed for the Democratic nomination — becomes president, she is broadly expected to continue many of Biden’s foreign policy objectives, including aid to Ukraine.
Republican nominee Donald Trump, conversely, has pledged he would cut Ukraine aid if he is re-elected and would force Kyiv to agree a peace deal with Russia and cede land the Kremlin has claimed as its own. His pick for running mate, JD Vance, is also vehemently against continuing support for Ukraine and played a key role in trying to kill off a Ukraine aid bill earlier this year.
Responding to Biden’s quitting the ticket, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia is following developments in the U.S., and that its priority is to continue its war against Ukraine.
“The [U.S.] election is still four months away. And that’s a long time, during which a lot can change. We need to pay attention, follow what will happen next,” Dmitry Peskov told the Telegram news channel Shot.
“The priority for us is the special military operation, not the election results in the United States.”
