The key facts

  • On November 3, 2026, the Democrats won the congressional elections, gaining a majority in the House of Representatives and the Senate
  • An expert at the EU Institute for Security Studies believes that the US role in Europe will diminish regardless of the election outcome
  • Kaja Kallas and Volodymyr Zelensky expressed hope for support for Ukraine from the new Congress

Election results and expert assessment

On November 3, 2026, midterm congressional elections were held in the United States, in which the Democratic Party won a majority of votes in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. This was reported by Gazeta.Ru.

Outlook for transatlantic relations

Giuseppe Spatafora, an expert on transatlantic relations at the EU Institute for Security Studies, in a comment to the Wall Street Journal, stated that after the Republicans' defeat, American influence in Europe will continue to decline anyway. “The US role in Europe will diminish, and threats against Europe will grow. That is precisely why Europe needs to build up its capabilities and deterrence options while maintaining active cooperation with the US,” he noted. Thus, in his assessment, the change of majority in Congress does not alter the long-term trend: Europe is advised to rely on its own deterrence capabilities while preserving cooperation with Washington.

Reaction in Europe and Kyiv

The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas expressed the hopethat the new US Congress would support Ukraine and increase pressure on Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky,for his part, said that Kyiv expects an expansion of American assistance after the Democrats' victory. Earlier, journalist Tucker Carlson declared the end of the “era of Trumpism” in the US. It remains unknown exactly how the new composition of Congress will change policy toward Ukraine and Russia: sources record only statements and expectations from the parties, not decisions that have been adopted.