The incoming Congress could push for tougher Russia sanctions and more aid to Kyiv The Democrats’ sweeping victory in the US midterm elections is a setback for Vladimir Putin because it limits his ability to “manipulate” Donald Trump and strengthens Congress’s power to challenge the US president’s Russia policy, a foreign policy expert told TVP World. The elections, held on Tuesday, saw Democrats regain control of both chambers of Congress, securing at least 54 seats in the 100-member Senate and flipping Republican-held Senate seats in traditionally conservative states, including Texas, Kansas and South Carolina. Several Republican lawmakers who opposed US military assistance to Ukraine also lost their seats, potentially strengthening congressional support for Kyiv. Speaking to TVP World’s On the Record program, Ian Brzezinski, who served as US deputy assistant secretary of defense for Europe and NATO policy under President George W. Bush, said the election results would make it harder for Putin to influence Washington’s policy toward Moscow. “It’s negative because it constrains his [Putin’s] ability to manipulate President Trump. That’s kind of the bottom line on this,” Brzezinski told program host Adam Jasser. “The president still has constitutional prerogatives. He still is the top gun when it comes down to US foreign policy. But Congress now is in a position politically to exercise its powers more robustly. That doesn’t help Putin’s agenda,” he added. Congress could push back Brzezinski, who is a senior fellow at the US-based Atlantic Council think tank, said the incoming Congress could take a tougher stance against Moscow, including by imposing stronger sanctions, restoring US assistance to Ukraine and restricting Trump's ability to withdraw American troops from Europe. “I bet you, under this new Congress that’s coming in, you could get veto-proof margins on legislation that wouldn’t just give the president authorities to impose stricter sanctions on Russia, but would actually require him by law to execute the law of stronger sanctions,” he said. “I could see Congress doing more to reanimate security assistance and economic assistance from the United States to Ukraine,” he added. Brzezinski also suggested that Republicans could become more willing to challenge Trump following their electoral defeat, particularly over Russia and NATO. “I think they’re going to be more willing to stand up and support Congress pressing the Trump administration onto a different path when it comes down to managing the war in Ukraine, Russia, our commitments to the transatlantic security relationship,” he said. Trump represents ‘minority view’ Brzezinski also argued that the election results should reassure European allies concerned that Trump’s approach to Russia and NATO represents a permanent shift in American foreign policy. “Trump quite literally reflects a minority view, a tiny minority view of what our role in the world should be,” he said, referring to the current US administration’s relationship with Europe and its stance on Russia’s war against Ukraine. “There’s a lot of reasons to make the long bet on the transatlantic relationship. Make the long bet on America,” Brzezinski said.
