Recent polling released by The Counteroffensive/Kyiv International Institute of Sociology on Tuesday shows that Ukrainians support President Joe Biden by a factor of seven over Former President Donald Trump. Forty-six point seven percent of those polled showed they support Biden, compared to 6.5 percent supporting Trump. 

Another 17.6 percent said “neither candidate would be good,” 6.7 percent said “either candidate is fine,” and 20.2 percent said they don’t know.

The question informed respondents that Biden and Trump “are campaigning to be the next president of the United States” and asked them to select the candidate they think would be better for Ukraine’s war effort, if elected.

The results are neither surprising nor unexpected, as Biden and Trump have far different views on the war in Ukraine and the ways to end it. Joe Biden and his administration, along with Congress, have spent or sent at least $75 billion in aid and military equipment to Ukraine since the Russian invasion. Trump and a growing number of Republicans have taken a different stance. The former president has consistently said that he would attempt to mediate a cessation of hostilities in a negotiated peace. However, both Russian and Ukrainian leaders have expressed doubt and or a lack of desire to do either. 

Trump has [also] embraced a philosophy that U.S. aid should come at a price — criticizing some NATO members for falling short of their defense spending targets and attacking the continued U.S. military aid to Ukraine.

Trump has also said that, if elected, he would end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours — a prospect refuted by Russia’s U.N. ambassador at a news conference Monday. Asked about Trump’s claim, the ambassador said, “The Ukrainian crisis cannot be solved in one day.”

Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a long-term unilateral security agreement last month that would all but guarantee continued aid and military assistance from the United States to Ukraine. 

The president laid out the agreement, specially noting that it does not include U.S. troops on the ground, pushing back on some calls in Europe that the next step in supporting Ukraine is by providing foreign troops.

Biden said the U.S. is committed to continue military and economic aid for the war-torn country.

“Not by sending American troops to fight [in] Ukraine but by providing weapons and ammunition, expanded intelligence sharing, continue to train brave Ukrainian troops at bases in Europe and the United States, enhancing interoperability between our militaries in line with NATO standards, investing in Ukraine’s defense industrial base so in time … they can supply their own weapons,” Biden said.

In regards to The Counteroffensive's poll, it is clear how Ukrainians feel about the possibility of a second Trump presidency and how that would affect the situation in Ukraine. 

With panic spreading about a potential second Trump term — not to mention his calls to hold military tribunals for his enemies— we’ve been looking at how the American election is likely to affect the war in Ukraine.

The Counteroffensive’s team was awake in the 3 a.m. hour to watch and cover the debates. Midway through the exchanges, Myroslava turned to me and, referring to my dual citizenship, said: “well, at least you are Canadian as well!”

With recent events concerning the status of Biden after the presidential debate last Thursday, it is unclear how much his performance affected the results of the poll. However, it is clear that the Ukrainian people, especially President Zelensky, love American money and they will do whatever it is they can and have to do to keep that cash flowing.