KYIV: Twice a year, Kristina Petrenko visits the Independence Square in Ukraine’s capital Kyiv, where flags representing fallen soldiers serve as a stark reminder of the nation’s suffering. 

She, along with fellow Ukrainians, is on tenterhooks as the United States draws nearer to its Nov 5 presidential election. 

Many believe the outcome will influence whether they will continue to receive support from their biggest backer since Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022.

"If we lose support, we lose everything and all these sacrifices will be for nothing. It is very painful to watch,” Petrenko told CNA in tears. 

UKRAINIANS FEAR TRUMP’S RETURN

Former US president – and current Republican presidential nominee – Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to cut off aid to Ukraine, saying he will end the war within 24 hours if he gets back into the White House. 

Ukrainians said they are worried about Trump’s vision of what an end to the war would look like. 

“It will end up being on Russia’s terms. We will have to give half of Ukraine (and) give Crimea, maybe even something more, to end the war,” said one Ukrainian, who gave her name as Lisa.

In contrast, US Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris has voiced strong support for Ukraine. She has slammed Trump's stance, describing it as a policy of surrender to Russia.

Despite the seeming division across the aisle, there is still strong bipartisan support for Ukraine in Congress, noted William Courtney, adjunct senior fellow at American think tank Rand. 

He noted that in April this year, when the US approved US$61 billion in support for Ukraine, the vote was three to one in favour in the House of Representatives and four to one in favour in the Senate. Such support has continued, he added.

In total, Washington has approved US$175 billion worth of emergency support for Kyiv so far, largely for weapons, equipment and other military assistance – surpassing aid from any other country.

BIDEN ADMINISTRATION’S COMMITMENT

Last month, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented his new “victory plan” to US President Joe Biden during his trip to Washington, which he sees as critical for tipping the war in Kyiv’s favour.

He also sought the promise of future membership into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). 

In addition, Zelenskyy requested the use of long-range missiles to target Russia's industrial complex – which Biden denied, saying it would risk further escalation.

Instead, Biden said he has directed his administration to disperse all remaining funds allocated for Ukraine before he leaves office.

He also announced US$2.4 billion in security assistance, a boost in arms and additional training for aircraft pilots. 

As Zelenskyy scrambles to shore up as much US support as he can before the election, Ukraine is also ramping up production of its own weapons. The nation is now capable of producing 4 million drones annually, but it is still no match to what the US is able to offer.

The question of how Americans’ views will factor into Washington’s commitment to Kyiv also remains to be seen. 

A Pew Research Center poll in July showed that Americans are split down the middle on whether the US has a responsibility to help Ukraine. 

The poll found that about two-thirds of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents said the US has this responsibility, while only about a third of Republicans and Republican leaners said the same.