A recent Pew Research Center survey has revealed a significant decline in Republican concerns about the Russia-Ukraine war’s potential threat to US national security. According to the report, only 19% of Republicans now view the ongoing conflict as a major threat to America, marking an all-time low since the war’s inception in 2022, Newsweek says.
Immediately following Russia’s invasion on 24 February 2022, Republicans were marginally more concerned than Democrats by one percentage point – a stance that has since dramatically shifted.
The survey, conducted between 12 and 17 November 2024, comes in the wake of the Biden administration’s decision to allow Ukraine to use American long-range weapons inside Russia. Russian spokesperson Dmitry Peskov claimed that this move allegedly signifies direct US involvement in the conflict.
The study, which included 9,609 US adults, demonstrated a broader trend of diminishing concern across political lines. While only three in 10 Americans believed Russia’s invasion threatens US interests – down from five in 10 in 2022 – 42% of Democrats still perceive the war as a significant threat to US.
Following US President-elect Donald Trump’s sentiment, Republicans have shown increasing skepticism about US support for Ukraine. The survey indicates they are more likely to argue that the US is providing excessive aid and less likely to assert a responsibility to help Ukraine defend against Russian invasion.
Russian threat
NATO and EU officials have expressed concerns over Russia’s potential military threat to Europe, including possible invasions of NATO or EU territories in the coming years, alongside ongoing sabotage activities that suggest Russia is operating in a state of war.
German intelligence chief Bruno Kahl noted that Russia’s increasing sabotage acts against Western targets could lead NATO to consider invoking Article 5, which obligates collective defense among member states.
Additionally, US intelligence warned defense companies about the heightened risk of Russian sabotage, indicating a broader hybrid warfare strategy by Russia to undermine support for Ukraine.
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