Donald Trump wins US election with over 270 electoral votes
Photo: Donald Trump (Getty Images)
Republican Donald Trump received 277 electoral votes in the election. It is enough to become the President of the United States, according to AP.
From the very beginning of the vote counting, Trump was consistently leading, including in the swing states that determine the outcome of the election. Among these states, his victory was confirmed in North Carolina and Pennsylvania.
He secured a second term nearly four years after leaving the White House.
Trump himself had already declared himself the "47th President of the United States" during a meeting with his supporters.
"I am your 45th and 47th President," he said in his speech.
He also said that Republicans would keep control of the US House of Representatives and win a majority in the Senate.
Most world leaders have already congratulated Trump on his victory in the US presidential election.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán have expressed their congratulations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also joined in the congratulations. You can read more about who has already congratulated Republican Donald Trump following the link.
US election
On November 5, Americans voted for a new, 47th president of the country. The candidates were Democratic nominee Kamala Harris and Republican nominee Donald Trump.
Until the very end, there was intrigue about who would become the new leader of the White House, as Trump and Harris had nearly equal chances of winning. Yet, the Republican secured a majority of votes in the decisive swing states.
US presidential elections are indirect. The election process takes place through the Electoral College (a candidate needs at least 270 out of the total 538 electoral votes).
On November 5, American voters also chose about a third of the US Senate members, as well as a new composition of the House of Representatives. Besides, elections for governors and state legislatures were held in certain states.
You can read more about how the US presidential election took place in the RBC-Ukraine coverage.
Why it is important for Ukraine
Ukrainians closely followed the US presidential election, as the outcome will greatly influence the course of Russia's war against Ukraine.
Trump has repeatedly stated that if he returns to the White House, he will be able to "quickly end Russia's war against Ukraine."
But he has not explained how he intends to reach such an agreement. There are concerns in Kyiv that the country may be forced to make territorial concessions to Russia.
For a detailed explanation of why this election is important for Ukraine, see the separate RBC-Ukraine article.
