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A2 UP FRONT
Thursday 16 February 2023
Ukraine aid support softens in the U.S.: AP-NORC Poll

Continued from Front

Hernandez, a Republican,
added that it’s difficult
to support generous U.S.
spending on military and
economic assistance to
Ukraine when many Ameri-
can communities don’t
have the resources to deal
with the ramifications of
migrants crossing into the
U.S. at the southern border,
a rise in drug overdoses
caused by fentanyl and
other lab-produced syn-
thetic opioids, and a home-
lessness crisis in his state.
Biden has repeatedly stat-
ed that the United States
will help Ukraine “as long
as it takes” to repel the Rus-
sian invasion that began on
Feb. 24 of last year. Private-
ly, administration officials
have warned Ukrainian of-
ficials that there is a limit to
the patience of a narrowly
divided Congress — and
American public — for the
costs of a war with no clear
end. Congress approved President Joe Biden speaks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as they meet in the Oval Office of the White House, Dec.
21, 2022, in Washington.
about $113 billion in eco- Associated Press
nomic, humanitarian and
military spending in 2022. on — and Ukrainian forces tucky over his support of Spring, Texas, said she’s be- to 17%. Democrats also re-
The poll shows 19% of Amer- have held up against a a $1.7 trillion spending bill come frustrated with the main more likely than Re-
icans have a great deal of more formidable Russian passed in December that global ramifications the publicans to favor imposing
confidence in Biden’s abil- military — some of that re- included about $47 billion war has had on consum- economic sanctions on Rus-
ity to handle the situation sistance has melted away. for Ukraine. ers, including volatile gas sia (75% to 60%), accepting
in Ukraine, while 37% say Biden has approved send- Alex Hoxeng, 37, of Mid- prices and increasing food refugees from Ukraine (73%
they have only some confi- ing light multiple rocket land, Texas, said he expect- costs. Carter, who tends to 42%), providing weap-
dence and 43% have hard- launchers known as HI- ed Republicans to take to vote Republican, said ons to Ukraine (63% to 39%)
ly any. MARS, Patriot missile sys- a tougher line on Ukraine she’s been displeased with and sending government
Views of Biden’s handling of tems, Bradley fighting ve- spending. Biden’s handling of the cri- funds to Ukraine (59% to
the war divide largely along hicles, Abrams tanks, and “I think Biden isn’t worried sis but doesn’t think Donald 21%). Support has softened
partisan lines. Among Dem- more. Biden, however, con- enough about inflation,” Trump would have done at least slightly among both
ocrats, 40% say they have a tinues to balk at Ukraine’s said Hoxeng, a Republican. any better had he won the Democrats and Republi-
great deal of confidence in request for fighter jets. “We should just stay out of 2020 election. cans since last May.
Biden to handle the situa- “As my opinion evolved, it. Ukraine is halfway around “I just wish it was over. I Tom Sadauskas, 68, a po-
tion, 50% have some confi- I came to wish we had the world and we have our wish it had never started,” litical independent from
dence and 9% have hardly offered more to Ukraine own problems.” Carter said. “It didn’t mat- northern Virginia, said he
any. Among Republicans, sooner,” said Fortado, a A majority of Americans, ter if there was a Democrat doesn’t believe an end to
a large majority (76%) say Democrat, who added 63%, still favor impos- or Republican there. Putin the war is near. That makes
they have hardly any confi- that she hopes the U.S. and ing economic sanctions was going to do what he him worried about the di-
dence. Those numbers are allies change their mind on on Russia, the poll shows, wanted to do.” rection of American sup-
largely unchanged since the fighter jets. “We seem though that too has de- Overall, the poll shows that port for a conflict that he
last May. to have done a drip, drip, creased from the 71% who about a quarter of Ameri- believes could have re-
Janice Fortado, 78, of Ips- drip. I understand why it said that in May 2022. cans, 26%, now say the U.S. verberations far beyond
wich, Massachusetts, said is they were hesitant, but And 59% say limiting dam- should have a major role in Ukraine if Putin is successful.
Biden deserves credit for we are now beyond that age to the U.S. economy is the situation, down from as “I worry that as a country
his handling of the war. point.” more important than effec- high as 40% in March 2022. we get easily distracted,”
She agreed with Biden’s House Speaker Kevin Mc- tively sanctioning Russia, Still, 49% say the U.S. should said Sadauskas, who ap-
hesitance early in the war Carthy, R-Calif., before even if that means sanc- have a minor role, and just proves of Biden’s handling
about sending advanced winning the speakership, tions are less effective. Al- 24% say it should have no of the war thus far. “It’s easy
and offensive weaponry vowed that Republicans most a year ago, in March role. to say, ‘It’s a faraway coun-
out of concern that it would wouldn’t write a “blank 2022, the situation was re- Since last March, the per- try. That it really doesn’t
give Russian President check” for Ukraine once versed: 55% said it was a centage of Democrats say- matter.’ But if Ukraine goes,
Vladimir Putin a pretext to they were in charge. And bigger priority to sanction ing the U.S. should have what is our attitude going
expand the war beyond some of the most right-lean- Russia effectively, even if it a major role has dipped to be when Putin decides
Ukraine and spur a larger ing Republicans lashed out meant damage to the U.S. slightly from 48% to 40%, to move on and threaten
global conflict. at Senate Minority Leader economy. while among Republicans one of our smaller neigh-
But as the war has dragged Mitch McConnell of Ken- Shandi Carter, 51, of Big it has dropped from 35% boring NATO countries?”q