Nearly half of Americans think the U.S. is spending too much on aid to Ukraine, according to a new poll conducted by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research on Nov. 22.
The percentage of Americans in opposition to aid for Ukraine is slightly down from the AP's previous poll last month. About 45% now believe the U.S. government is spending too much on aid to Ukraine, down from 52% in October. Republicans now make up the primary opposition group, with 59% now saying too much is spent on aid to Ukraine, which is down from 69% in October.
Around 38% of U.S. adults say current spending is "about the right amount," which is slightly higher than last month at about 31%. Among Republicans, 29% say the current spending is about right, which is slightly higher than the 20% reported last month.
About 48% endorse providing weapons to Ukraine (57% among Democrats, 42% among Republicans). Additionally, about 4 in 10 favor sending government funds directly to Ukraine (54% for Democrats, 24% for Republicans).
The U.S. has faced months of infighting over government spending, including military aid for Ukraine. Support for Ukraine has increasingly become a partisan issue, in which Democrats are much more likely to support continued aid, compared to a higher degree of opposition among Republicans.
This has become especially apparent after the Israel-Hamas war began on Oct. 7, as U.S. funding for Israel and Ukraine has become increasingly linked in Congress.
U.S. President Joe Biden previously asked the U.S. Congress to approve a new $106 billion aid package, including more than $61 billion in funding for aid to Ukraine. On Nov. 16, Biden signed a temporary spending bill into law, averting the impending government shutdown but leaving the issue of continued aid for Ukraine unaddressed.
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, said at a press conference on Nov. 14 that Congress would reconvene after Thanksgiving on Nov. 23 in order to try and pass a joint funding bill that contains aid for all four issues.
The U.S. has provided Ukraine with $44.2 billion in security assistance since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, according to a fact sheet by the DoD released on Nov. 20.
Alexander Khrebet
