World News — November 3, 2026

America votes on the limits of presidential power

BBC live reporting, 09:55–10:00 GMT; DW · November 3, 2026

Election-day voting has begun in the US midterms, with all 435 House seats and 35 Senate seats on the ballot. Republicans currently control both chambers. There is no result yet: polling expectations are not a transfer of power, and close contests may take time to resolve.

The international significance is institutional, not just partisan. Congress controls spending and legislation; the Senate also confirms senior appointments and federal judges. A change of majority could strengthen scrutiny of the administration and change bargaining over Ukraine assistance, military funding and overseas aid. Those choices affect how dependable American commitments look to allies and adversaries.

But a congressional defeat would not remove Trump or automatically reverse his foreign policy. He would retain executive powers and the presidential veto; overriding that veto requires two-thirds of both chambers. The useful question tonight is therefore not whether America has acquired a different president, but which constraints on the existing president voters have strengthened. DW on the foreign-policy stakes →

Ukraine diplomacy puts reconstruction and security in the same room

Reuters · November 3, 2026, Brussels dateline

The European Commission confirmed today that it will host talks tomorrow with Ukraine, the US, France, Germany, Britain, NATO and the World Bank. A source familiar with the plans told Reuters that a “prosperity plan” and security guarantees will be discussed. This is a newly confirmed meeting, not an agreed peace settlement.

The participant list explains the stakes: rebuilding an economy and preventing another invasion are connected problems. Reconstruction promises are less credible without durable security; security arrangements need an economic foundation. Bringing lenders and military allies into the same discussion is an attempt to address both. The important test is what governments actually commit to fund and defend—not how many diplomatic meetings are scheduled.