Newsweek: Ukraine is losing the win of hearts and minds battle in the United States
Newsweek magazine said in a report that Ukraine is losing in the decisive battle to win hearts and minds in the United States, indicating a political risk of losing the momentum of Western support, both militarily and popularly.
The continuation of the Ukrainian counterattack for months, after it was long-awaited, has led to exacerbation of Western fatigue, which it may lead to undermining the momentum that Ukraine enjoys, and it may also present new opportunities to the Russian President Vladimir Putin.
While skeptical voices have been present in the United States since the beginning of the Russian military operation, in February 2022, the basic consensus supporting arming Ukraine has begun to become increasingly divided, with dramatic effect in Washington.
Newsweek suggested that tensions will escalate further as the United States enters what is expected to be a controversial election season.
The popular support in the United States for Ukraine has actually begun to decline, citing an opinion poll, published last week, which found that the percentage of those who believe that the administration of President Joe Biden is doing more than necessary to support Ukraine, increased to 41%, up from 33% in February 2023, and only 16% in April 2022.
Another poll published by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs on Wednesday found that 45% of its participants in the United States believe that the military aid their country provides to Ukraine isn’t worth the cost.
The accompanying report linked the decline in US support to other outcomes, including the widespread perception that the counterattack launched by Ukraine wasn’t sufficiently successful, in addition to a decline in interest in news related to the war, a decline in the feeling that Russia poses a decisive threat, in addition to a decline in the president’s approval ratings of the Ukrainian, Volodymyr Zelensky.
Public opinion in Europe is also witnessing a major shift, as a poll conducted by the Euro Barometer Center, affiliated with the European Union, which was conducted last August, showed that 34% of those polled don’t agree with the European Union financing the purchase and supply of military equipment and training for Ukraine, up from 26% in April 2022.
