Americans’ Support for Arming Ukraine Dries Up as War Drags On: Poll

by Mary Lou Masters

Support for arming Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression has dropped among Americans across the political spectrum, according to a Thursday poll.

Only 41% of Americans believe the federal government “should provide weapons to Ukraine,” a five-point decrease since May, according to a Reuters/Ipsos survey. Though some respondents were unsure, 35% of Americans disagreed with the notion that the U.S. should be sending weapons to Ukraine.

“The declining support is having a negative effect on congressional support, and eventually, prospects for additional aid packages,” Elizabeth Hoffman, director of congressional and government affairs at the Center for Strategic & International Studies, told Reuters.

Support among Democrats for providing weapons to Ukraine has dropped from 61% to 52%, according to the survey. Among Republicans, support fell from 39% to 35%.

Support is falling among Americans of both major political parties for supplying Ukraine with weapons, a warning sign for Kyiv, which relies heavily on U.S. arms to fight against a Russian invasion, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll. https://t.co/nrg1M9vCRP

— Arpan Chaturvedi (@arpanc_) October 5, 2023

The survey comes as Congress weighs President Joe Biden’s $24 billion request for additional aid and weapons for Ukraine. The president announced on Wednesday he will be delivering a speech to shore up support for additional Ukraine funding after Congress didn’t include his requested aid in the short-term funding resolution it passed over the weekend to avoid a government shutdown.

More Republicans than Democrats agreed with the statement that the ally’s issues “are none of our business and we should not interfere,” at 56% to 34%, respectively, according to the survey.

The Reuters/Ipsos poll surveyed 1,005 American adults nationwide from Oct. 3 to Oct. 4 with a margin of error of 4%.

The White House did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

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Mary Lou Masters is a reporter at Daily Caller News Foundation.