President Joe Biden recently met with new Speaker Mike Johnson and Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries to discuss the proposal. However, Johnson, a staunch conservative, has shown little interest in providing more money to Ukraine in its war with Russia. Instead, House Republicans, led by Johnson, plan to bring a separate bill to provide $14.5 billion in aid to Israel. However, they need more information about the Biden administration’s Ukraine strategy before making any decisions.
During an interview on Fox News’ “Hannity,” Johnson expressed concerns about allowing Vladimir Putin to prevail in Ukraine, as he believes it could encourage China to make a move on Taiwan. “We have these concerns. We’re not going to abandon them,” Johnson stated.
A recent poll conducted by Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics shows that while interest in the Russia-Ukraine war among Utahns is waning, it is still relatively high nearly two years into the conflict. The poll found that 61% of respondents are closely following the war, a significant decrease from the 85% reported a month after Russia’s attack on Ukraine in February 2022.
Utahns remain divided on whether the U.S. is doing enough to respond to the ongoing war and what that response should entail. Over half of respondents (55%) believe the U.S. is doing enough, while 25% think more needs to be done. In comparison, a poll conducted in March 2022 showed that 42% believed the U.S. was doing enough and 41% did not.
The poll also indicates a shift in Utahns’ preferred responses to the war. While providing humanitarian assistance and military support are still popular options, the numbers have decreased since the early days of the conflict. Currently, 61% of respondents believe the U.S. should send humanitarian aid to Ukraine, while 40% support military assistance. These figures have decreased from 73% and 68%, respectively, 20 months ago.
Additionally, the poll reveals that only 36% of Utahns favor more economic sanctions, 29% support seizing and freezing the assets of private Russian citizens, 28% want financial assistance to support the military response, and 19% favor sending troop support. These figures were higher in March 2022. Notably, 20% of respondents in the latest survey do not support any of these actions.
Party affiliation plays a role in Utahns’ opinions on U.S. responses to the Russia-Ukraine war. A higher percentage of Democrats than Republicans favor various actions. Only 33% of Democrats believe the U.S. is doing enough to help Ukraine, compared to 61% of Republicans.
Hard-line conservatives in Congress have fought against providing additional financial aid to Ukraine. Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy removed the Ukraine funding from a funding bill in September after facing pressure from conservatives who opposed the aid. Some Republicans now suggest holding separate votes on aid to Ukraine and aid to Israel.
The Biden administration and Congress have already directed over $75 billion in assistance to Ukraine since the war began. This assistance includes humanitarian, financial, and military support. On Thursday, the administration announced an additional $150 million in security assistance to Ukraine, including air defense capabilities, artillery ammunition, anti-tank weapons, and other equipment. This marks Biden’s 49th tranche of equipment for Ukraine since August 2021.
Biden’s national security package, unveiled last week, includes $61.4 billion in military, economic, infrastructure, and resettlement aid for Ukraine. It also includes a share of the $10 billion in humanitarian assistance for Israel and Gaza. The White House emphasizes the importance of passing this funding request, as Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to pursue his ambitions to take all of Ukraine.
A group of Republican senators, including Utah Sen. Mike Lee, recently introduced a bill that would separate funding for Israel from the additional funds requested for Ukraine. Lee argues that Ukraine and Israel are distinct issues and should be considered and voted on separately. He believes it is unreasonable for the administration to link aid for Israel with a blank check for Ukraine.
