More Than Just An Onlooker, Ukraine Largely Relieved At U.S. Election Result

Oleksiy Haran, a professor of political science at the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy and research director at the Democratic Initiatives think tank, suggested that the contrast between the president's apparent attitudes and U.S. policy -- on Ukraine and other issues -- is likely to fade under Biden.

In this sense, Biden would "provide more stability and predictability" in U.S. foreign policy, including for Ukraine, Haran said.

Biden "really knows Ukraine on a substantive level" and knows "what reforms are needed, how they work, and what impact they could make," he said, adding that he does not expect to see Washington pursuing a reset with Moscow or what he called the "whitewashing of Putin that we saw under Trump."

Haran and Hetmanchuk said that the shape of U.S. ties will depend heavily on appointments Biden makes to key positions at the State Department, Pentagon, and other agencies, particularly as he is expected to focus heavily on domestic issues in the divided United States early in his term.

Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty