The US National Security Adviser, Jake Sullivan, said that the United States is able to provide aid to Ukraine, while at the same time providing a helping hand to its citizens, in response to criticism from the Republican Party.
Sullivan’s remarks came during an interview with the American news network “CNN”, which was broadcast on Thursday night, on the occasion of the one year anniversary of the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.
Many GOP leaders in the US Senate have asked: Why is the US providing so much aid to Ukraine?
Sullivan said he believes America can be a strong leader in the world while providing support to its citizens.
He said, “I would say yes to these elders. Let’s do these things at home (providing services to citizens), but are you saying that America is also incapable of being a force for good in the world? I don’t think the American people agree with that.”
He added, “The American people believe we can do both as best we can, and that’s what we’re doing.”
Dissenting Republican Voices
Recently, voices have risen within the Republican Party calling for stopping or reducing US support for Ukraine.
Florida Rep. Matt Gates said Parliament was “exhausted” by Ukraine’s overwhelming support, especially as there was no sign of an end to the conflict in sight.
The US parliamentarian submitted a bill to the House of Representatives to stop military and economic support to Ukraine, ahead of President Joe Biden’s surprise visit to Kiev, a few days ago.
It stipulates the cessation of all future aid, whether military or humanitarian, and urges Russia and Ukraine to reach a peace agreement.
The bill was supported by a number of Republican members, but House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a Republican, was also more cautious in his speech.
He said he did not support this project, but he stressed that he would not automatically agree to all the aid requested by the Biden administration.
He added that his country had spent $100 billion on Ukraine, stressing that he did not prefer the “blank check” policy.
What do the polls say?
And a poll on February 15 showed declining support for Americans to help Ukraine.
And 48 percent of those surveyed said they support the United States providing arms to Ukraine, while 29 percent oppose it, and 22 percent say they neither support nor oppose it.
Poll: Declining Americans’ support for helping Ukraine
Americans are evenly divided on sending government money directly to Ukraine, with 37 percent in favor and 38 percent opposed, and 23 percent neither in favor nor opposed.
