Kuleba: 5 lessons for Ukrainians from Trump’s victory

November 8, 2024

By Ukraine

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First, after his defeat in the 2019 U.S. presidential election, Donald Trump was written off as a political failure. But he didn’t give up — he got back up, ran again, and won four years later.

Lesson: Never, ever give up, even if everyone around you says your cause is lost and works against you, and even if you begin to doubt you’ll ever succeed. Victory is primarily the result of your own efforts, not anyone else’s.

Second, while those who succumbed to the comfortable information bubble were convinced that Kamala Harris’ ratings were rising and she would win, Trump stayed focused on his goal — and he won.

Lesson: We must always make time to step outside our own “info-bubbles” and see the other side of reality, especially in times of war. If we don’t, we may later wonder why things didn’t go as we expected.

Third, there were predictions that this election would divide the United States. If Trump hadn’t won, he likely would not have recognized the results, creating a serious risk of division that would have weakened the U.S. to Ukraine’s detriment. But Trump won decisively, and the division was averted.

Lesson: We cannot afford to play with the explosive topic of societal division in Ukraine. Let’s not push our country to the brink. Avoid spreading divisive commentary. Ukraine’s unity is the foundation of our strength and, therefore, our future.

Fourth, Europe feared Trump’s victory and is now preparing for the worst. But this will ultimately benefit Europe, as it will have to take control of its own fate — a fate currently being determined in Ukraine.

Lesson: We must intensify efforts to mobilize support for Ukraine in the European Union at all levels, and each of us can contribute to this cause.

Fifth, in 2016, Trump’s first term began with fears that he would abandon Ukraine. During his time in office, he made statements that frustrated Ukrainians and met with Russian President Vladimir Putin. But he also sold Ukraine its first American weapons and opposed Putin’s project, Nord Stream 2.

Lesson: This didn’t happen out of love for Ukraine, nor did it fall from the sky — it was the result of complex, multi-layered work. We will need to work with “Trump 2.0” too, but in a way that’s different from the last four years.

Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent.

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