The Republicans’ defeat in the US midterm elections was closely watched in Russia, where some observers predict it could herald greater support for Ukraine when Democrats take over Congress in January. But if the Kremlin is listening to the ticking clock of its nearly five-year-long, full-scale invasion of its neighbor, it apparently remains unfazed. Asked whether the election result could hamper US attempts to help broker a deal between Moscow and kyiv, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov expressed hope that US President Donald Trump would continue his peace efforts. of talks scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday involving representatives of Russia, Ukraine and the United States in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. He also praised first lady Melania Trump’s “successful humanitarian peacebuilding efforts,” adding that “we hope all of this continues.” Last week’s limited ceasefire around the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky, negotiated with their help, allowed for the delivery of humanitarian aid and the evacuation of some residents. Peskov ignored a question from reporters about whether the new Congress would challenge Trump’s stance on Russia and Ukraine. He called it an “internal matter” because Trump’s recent actions appear to favor Moscow. Last month, it reached a diesel fuel import deal with Russia in a surprising reversal of years of American pressure on the Kremlin, to the dismay of Ukraine and its European allies. He also claimed that kyiv’s attacks on Russian oil refineries caused a rise in diesel prices in the United States. He urged kyiv to stop the attacks, even though the rise in global energy prices was largely driven by the Iran war. Trump also issued an executive order to suspend sweeping new sanctions restricting the Russian economy, telling Congress that the pause was in the national interest. Lawmakers from both parties criticized Trump’s move as benefiting Russian President Vladimir Putin. At the same time, Ukraine reported a throttling of Starshield, the military-grade version of the Starlink satellite internet service owned by Elon Musk’s SpaceX. Trump denied being behind the brief Starshield slowdown, but the move to limit the system that serves as the backbone of drone operations and battlefield communications in Ukraine was widely seen as part of Washington’s efforts to pressure kyiv. The diesel deal appeared to falter this week after U.S. federal and state officials warned that tampering with any shipment could bring legal consequences, and two U.S.-bound oil tankers changed course. The Kremlin tried to downplay the issue, saying deliveries would continue. 2:07 Ukraine and Russia prepare to meet even as attacks continue kyiv desperately needs to replenish its supplies of American-made Patriot interceptors to defend against Russian ballistic missile attacks. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly asked Washington to speed up the delivery of defensive systems, but American stockpiles have been depleted by the Iran war and the United States has prioritized replenishing its own arsenals. On October 30, the Trump administration said it had approved a proposed $2.1 billion sale of Patriot interceptors to Ukraine after kyiv accused the Pentagon of delaying delivery. Get daily national news Get daily Canadian news delivered to your inbox so you never miss the day’s top stories. Trump also appeared to echo the Kremlin’s view that Zelenskyy was an obstacle to peace, while saying Putin was more open to a deal. Trump spoke Thursday with Putin’s envoy Kirill Dmitriev, who attended a White House ceremony with the first lady recognizing last week’s humanitarian truce. The president did not meet with any of the Ukrainian officials present at the event, but hinted that some kind of grand deal on European security was in the works. Many in Russia argue that the Democrats’ victory could put pressure on Trump in Congress to act more carefully and toughen his stance on Russia. Dmitry Medvedev, who was Russian president from 2008 to 2012, predicted that Trump would be less inclined to pressure Ukraine when a new Congress is established. “You don’t need additional confrontation with Democrats,” said Medvedev, who now serves as deputy head of Russia’s Security Council. New House, Senate could boost aid to Ukraine There has been strong bipartisan support for Ukraine, raising the possibility of veto-proof passage of more aid to kyiv or tough new sanctions against Moscow. On Wednesday, Zelenskyy told German broadcaster ZDF that while both parties have backed kyiv, the Democrats “speak very clearly about supporting Ukraine.” More on the world More videos In other remarks Thursday, the Ukrainian leader also noted that the midterm elections could have a positive effect on U.S. assistance, including faster delivery of Patriot interceptors. “I think our chances of getting additional help from the United States may now increase,” he said. Abbas Gallyamov, a former Putin speechwriter turned political analyst living abroad, argued that his former boss had missed a chance to reach a deal on Ukraine before the Democrats won and could now face a less cooperative Washington. 2:06 Ukrainian app warns citizens of nuclear threat after hackers take control “Putin’s prospects have worsened significantly,” Gallyamov wrote in a comment. “He thought time was on his side and he was in no hurry to take advantage of the window of opportunity that had opened after Trump’s victory, and now this window is beginning to close.” However, some policy experts cautioned against expectations of dramatic change. Democrats could put more funding for Ukraine on the agenda and increase pressure on Trump over the diesel deal or Russia sanctions waivers, but strict limits on the president’s power are unlikely, said Jorn Fleck, senior director of the Atlantic Council’s Europe Center. “Even with a strong majority in both houses of Congress, Democrats will have difficulty imposing meaningful limits on Trump’s foreign policy conduct, given his constitutional powers and willingness to go further,” Fleck said in a comment. “Without having to face voters at the polls again, Trump can accelerate the negotiation to cement his legacy.” Some hope for a tougher Trump. Konstantin Kosachev, vice president of the upper house of the Russian parliament, argued that Trump’s executive powers in the foreign policy sphere would allow him to pursue his course regardless of congressional opposition. He said that if authorities in kyiv believed that the Republicans’ defeat would make the Trump administration more receptive to Ukraine’s requests, they might be wrong. “You won’t find a more flexible or more constrained Trump,” Kosachev said. “Rather, they will face a more determined one, who will no longer be looking over his shoulder in the next election.” For all the importance of Congress, “the role of the president of the United States in foreign policy remains paramount, a fact that Trump understands better than anyone,” he said. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna took a similar tone in an interview Thursday with The Associated Press, saying that “the president is President Trump” and that he has the ability to dictate foreign and security policy. “Unpredictability” should be expected, he added. Kosachev said that by pinning its hopes on a Democratic victory, kyiv and its allies in London, Brussels and other European capitals have sided with Trump’s domestic political adversaries. “Consequently, they are almost guaranteed two years of a hardline Trump,” he said. —Emma Burrows in Tallinn, Estonia, contributed.