The level of American support for supplying arms to Ukraine has experienced a significant decline, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos survey released Thursday.
In the poll, just 41% of participants agreed with the idea of the U.S. continuing to furnish weaponry to Ukraine.
This is a substantial drop from the 65% of respondents who held this view in a survey conducted in June 2023.
Among Democrats, a majority expressed support for providing arms to Ukraine, although this figure has dipped from 81% to 52%. Conversely, within the Republican camp, backing for this policy has also waned, declining from 56% to 35%. Independent support plummeted from 57% to 44%.
The most recent poll indicates that support for providing financial aid to Ukraine is even lower than for sending arms. Only 37% of respondents agreed with the U.S. offering financial assistance. This support was divided among party lines, with 51% of Democrats, 26% of Republicans, and 41% of independents agreeing.
Aid for Ukraine emerged as a contentious issue during the recent looming government shutdown. Democrats sought to include funding in a defense spending bill. At the same time, Republicans largely opposed these efforts, prioritizing the resolution of the ongoing nationwide migrant crisis.
In a passionate livestream posted to social media last month, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., expressed her stance on the matter, stating, "I told them all week long, 'I'm not voting for $300 million to Ukraine.'"
President Joe Biden has made a formal request to Congress for additional aid to Ukraine, with the White House emphasizing potential repercussions if the support is not approved.
The Ukraine issue has assumed a central role in the 2024 GOP presidential primary, particularly among the more conservative factions of the party, where an isolationist foreign policy stance has gained traction, according to The Hill.
In contrast, a poll by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, released on Wednesday, demonstrated a higher level of American support for both aid forms to Ukraine. In this survey, 61% of respondents expressed support for sending economic assistance to the country, while an even larger share, 63%, backed the provision of arms and military supplies.
While the Global Affairs survey indicated broader support across the political spectrum for both aid forms to Ukraine, it also highlighted a partisan divide. Among respondents, 76% of Democrats, 47% of Republicans, and 58% of independents supported economic aid. Conversely, 50% of Republicans, 77% of Democrats, and 60% of independents supported military aid.
The Reuters/Ipsos poll was conducted online and included 1,005 adults nationwide. There was a credibility interval of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.