As lawmakers in Washington consider sending billions more in federal aid to Kyiv to counter Russian aggression, nearly half of the American public believes the United States is spending too much on aid to Ukraine.
This is evidenced by the results of a survey conducted by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
The sentiment, driven largely by Republicans, helps explain the growing opposition among conservative GOP lawmakers in Congress, who are rejecting President Joe Biden's efforts to approve a new tranche of aid to Ukraine, arguing the money would be better spent on domestic priorities, the AP noted.
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However, according to another AP-NORC poll, the number of opponents of aid has decreased slightly compared with a month ago. Now, 45% of respondents say the US government is spending too much money to help Ukraine in its war against Russia, up from 52% in October.
The shift appears to be driven largely by Republicans, the AP notes: 59% now say too much money is being spent on aid to Ukraine, down from 69% in October.
However, Republican opposition to continued aid to Ukraine remains strong.
“I understand that citizens need help, but it seems to me that we are spending too much money on Ukraine, while we have our own problems here on our own soil that we need to solve,” said Eric Mondello, 40. summer resident of Fountain, Colorado. Pointing to needs such as veterans' health care and homelessness in communities.
More than a third ( 38% ) of American adults believe current spending is “about normal,” up slightly from last month ( 31% ). Among Republicans, nearly 3 in 10 ( 29% ) say current spending is about right, up from 20% last month.
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Paula Graves, 69, is among those who believe the level of spending on Ukraine is right.
— Putin, he is frankly evil. I think no one should have any doubts. He's a dictator. He violates human rights, he is a very scary person, and if Ukraine falls to him, who will be next? What country is next?,” said Graves, of Clovis, California.
Graves, who said she has no political party affiliation but leans conservative, said she believes the United States is a leader on the world stage and added: “I think we should definitely put America first, but I don't I think this should be the first and only.”
Disputes in Washington over aid to Ukraine
The White House has repeatedly pressed lawmakers to pass Biden's nearly $106 billion emergency spending package proposed in October, which includes more than $61 billion specifically to keep Ukraine in the war. The rest of Biden's bid includes assistance for Israel in the fight against Hamas, funds for various priorities in the Indo-Pacific region and additional resources to manage migration on the southern border.
In Ukraine, the Biden administration is increasingly warning that aid sources are drying up. On Monday, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin , on an unannounced visit to Kiev, said Ukraine's efforts to defeat Russian forces “make a difference for the world” and promised that US support would continue “for a long time.”
This idea was reinforced in the White House.
“As President Biden said, when aggressors don’t pay the price for their aggression, they cause more chaos, death and destruction.” They just keep going, and the costs and threats to America and the world will continue to grow,” John Kirby , a spokesman for the National Security Council, said Monday at a White House press briefing.
However, in recent months, Congress has at least twice rejected White House attempts to increase support for Ukraine. He initially ignored a request for about $40 billion in additional funds before the Sept. 30 funding deadline. Then last week a temporary funding measure was passed to keep the government running until early next year, but without additional aid to Ukraine.
In the Senate, a small bipartisan group is working on legislation that would combine new aid to Ukraine with stricter border measures to address Republican concerns that the U.S. is focusing on needs abroad at the expense of problems closer to home. A wide majority of senators still support aid to Ukraine, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell , despite isolationist sentiments within his party, is one of Kiev's strongest supporters.
Sen. John Thune, the Senate's No. 2 Republican, said lawmakers will continue working on the Ukraine package through the Thanksgiving break and won't wait until mid-January – when Congress faces another government funding deadline – to take up Ukraine action.
The big question mark is in the House, where new Speaker Mike Johnson , who voted against Ukraine aid as a rank-and-file conservative, has spoken widely about the need to counter Russian aggression but faces recalcitrant Republican lawmakers who are more hostile to further support for Kiev.
Johnson is also insisting that additional aid to Ukraine be accompanied by tougher border measures, although it is far from certain that any immigration deal that passes the Democratic-led Senate will be able to pass the GOP-controlled House.
Survey of the US population regarding the war in Ukraine
Half of American adults are extremely or very concerned that Russian influence poses a direct threat to the United States. Democrats ( 53% ) and Republicans ( 51% ) are equally concerned about Russia's influence, but Democrats are more likely than Republicans to view Ukraine as a country that shares common values with the United States and support increased aid to Ukraine.
About half of the population ( 48% ) approve of providing weapons to Ukraine ( 57% among Democrats, 42% among Republicans). About 4 in 10 favor sending government funds directly to Ukraine ( 54% among Democrats, 24% among Republicans).
Compared to the September AP-NORC/Pearson poll, Americans are slightly more likely to say the United States should play a “less active role” in solving world problems. Just under half ( 45% ) now think the US should be less active, down from 33% in September. Only 16% of Democrats think the US should play a more active role, down from 29% in September.
Peter Einsig, a Republican from Tulsa, Okla., said he still believes the U.S. has a role to play abroad but remains concerned about excessive government spending and the federal debt.
However, Einsig said he would be more inclined to support aid to Ukraine if there were more controls over how the money is used abroad, as well as the time frame for how long the U.S. would provide aid.
Four in ten American adults consider Ukraine an ally that shares US interests and values. This view is most common among Democrats ( 53% ), who are much more likely than independents ( 28% ), Republicans ( 29% ) and Americans overall to view Ukraine as a state with similar values and needs.
About half of Republicans see Ukraine as a partner with whom the United States should work, but say it does not share American values.
