By Patricia Zengerle
WASHINGTON (Portal) – Almost three-quarters of Americans say the United States should continue to support Ukraine despite Russian threats to use nuclear weapons to protect its territory, according to a Portal/Ipsos opinion poll released on Wednesday.
The poll suggested continued support for President Joe Biden’s provision of weapons systems, training and other military support to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s administration, despite fears that the war could escalate if longer-range weapons were made available to Ukraine would that could hit Russia.
The online poll of 1,005 Americans showed that 73% agreed the United States should continue to support Ukraine, despite Russian warnings that it could use its nuclear arsenal. Both Democrats and Republicans agreed, although there was more support among Biden’s fellow Democrats — 81% — than among Republicans — at 66%.
And in the most recent poll, conducted Oct. 4-5, 66% of respondents said Washington should specifically continue to supply arms to Ukraine, up from 51% in a similar poll in August.
The Biden administration has provided more than $16.8 billion in security aid to Ukraine since Russia invaded on February 24. On Tuesday, Biden pledged a new $625 million package to the Kyiv government, including more mobile rocket launchers used in a recent Ukrainian counter-offensive that forced Russian troops to withdraw.
On Wednesday, Russia’s ambassador to the United States responded that Washington’s decision to send more military aid to Ukraine poses an “imminent threat” to Moscow’s interests, prolonging the bloodshed and increasing the risk of a military clash between Russia and the West.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has in recent weeks explicitly raised the specter of a nuclear conflict in light of Ukraine’s battlefield achievements, warning the West that it will use all available means to defend Russian territory, including Russia’s annexed Ukrainian territory .
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The Portal/Ipsos poll showed that a majority of Americans – 58% – feared the country is headed for a nuclear war with Russia. And 65% fear the war could escalate if Ukraine were provided with longer-range weapons that could hit Russia itself.
But fewer Americans believe that Ukraine’s problems are not their country’s business and that the country should not get involved, with 35% saying so, down from 40% in August.
US voters will go to the polls on November 8 for midterm elections that will determine control of Congress and many state governments. In the most recent poll, 68% said they would be more likely to support a candidate who advocates continued military aid to Ukraine, and 72% would be more likely to support a candidate who supports Ukrainian refugees.
The poll has a credibility interval of plus or minus 4 percentage points.
(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Scott Malone)