With Ukraine War Entering Second Year, Can U.S. Support Last?

WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden highlighted the US support for Ukraine with a visit to the wartorn nation this week. But back home, public support for sending weapons is waning as the conflict enters its second anniversary with no sign of an end.

According to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll of over 4,000 Americans conducted between February 6 and 13, 58 percent of Americans support providing military assistance to Ukraine. This is a decrease from the 73% who supported the transfer of arms in the April 2022 poll.

The signs of waning enthusiasm appear at a difficult time in US politics which could limit Biden’s ability to fully fulfill his promise of unwavering US assistance for as long Russian troops remain on Ukrainian soil.

Republicans and the White House are locked in a dispute over raising the debt limit, which is the ceiling on how much money the United States may borrow. They demand drastic spending cuts in order to control the deficit. This comes at a moment when the United States is providing billions of US dollars in military and other assistance to Ukraine. A number Republican lawmakers, who are allies with former President Donald Trump, have demanded restrictions on the aid.

This aid could be used as a political tool in the 2024 presidential election, which is currently underway. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, widely believed to be seeking the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, has this week attacked what he called Biden’s. “blank check” Ukraine policy

For the moment, Republican leaders in Congress who are staunch opponents to Biden on most issues, support Ukraine’s defense. They even call for Washington more powerful weapons and faster. On Tuesday, Michael McCaul (Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee) said that Washington was moving toward long-range missiles, fighter jets, and other weapons to Ukraine.

However, the party is divided on Ukraine. The House of Representatives, which is right-leaning Republican, presented a so-called Ukraine Fatigue Resolution. It proposed cutting aid earlier in the month. However it lacks sufficient support to endanger aid in near future.

Only 11 Republican lawmakers signed the resolution, out of 222. Although not many, Rachel Rizzo, senior fellow at Washington’s Atlantic Council’s Europe Center, cautioned that it could be dangerous to dismiss them.

“The pull that small group has on the party is still yet to be seen, but I think it’s something that’s concerning for all of us,” Rizzo said.

Congress approved each tranche of funding that the Biden administration requested since the war began. Military assistance has been provided to Ukraine in the amount of US$113 million so far.