Biden’s adviser promises full support to Ukraine indefinitely.

A‌ top Biden administration ‍official⁣ on Sunday⁢ said the United States ⁤would continue ⁤to send ⁤Ukraine aid ⁤and weapons⁣ “as long as⁢ it takes” for the war with Russia to ⁣come ⁢to⁢ an end. 

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White​ House ‍national⁢ security adviser⁢ Jake Sullivan made the ‍comments on ABC News’s ​“This Week” with‍ host ⁢George Stephanopoulos, saying‌ that the⁢ American ‌people have⁢ really⁤ “hung⁣ in there” ⁤in ​terms‌ of being supportive of the aid. Sullivan noted that, despite ⁣some Republicans ​in Congress expressing⁣ their ‍discontent with continued assistance,⁤ high-ranking Republicans such​ as Senate Minority⁣ Leader Mitch McConnell‍ (R-KY) have ⁣continued to support it. 

“I actually think there is a strong backing for Ukraine in⁤ the ⁤Congress,​ not ⁣just among Democrats, but ‌among Republicans as well,” Sullivan said. ⁣“Therefore, we believe⁢ that we can⁣ back‍ up the statement⁤ that we will give Ukraine ⁤everything it ⁣needs for as long‌ as⁤ it takes.”

Asked ⁣by Stephanopoulos ⁢whether he‍ was worried⁣ about the ⁣support of the‌ American people ‌as the war continues‍ to drag on, Sullivan said opinion polls ‍today show Americans are⁢ largely supportive of aid​ to Ukraine. 

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“If you ⁢look at​ the Republican Party,⁣ there is‌ a small⁣ cadre of Republicans ⁢who ⁤stand up and say,⁢ ‘we should stop helping Ukraine in the⁤ face of ‌Russian⁤ aggression,’”⁢ Sullivan ‍told ⁣the host. Despite⁣ this, the national ​security adviser ⁤pointed to McConnell and Senate Majority Leader Chuck⁣ Schumer ​(D-NY) ​co-signing a statement expressing their continued ⁢support for assistance⁤ to Ukraine. 

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Despite some Republicans ⁣calling⁣ to end‌ Ukraine aid, Jake​ Sullivan says there ​is “strong backing for Ukraine⁤ in the⁤ Congress.” ‌

“We⁢ believe ⁣that we can back up the ⁤statement‌ that we ⁤will ⁤give ‍Ukraine⁤ everything it needs for as long as it​ takes.” https://t.co/jU42HJgtCo pic.twitter.com/sQ04RpxJQy

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— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) July 16, 2023

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Since the​ war ⁢began, the United States ‌Congress has allocated roughly ‍$113 billion‍ in aid to⁤ Ukraine; no other ‍country has ⁤come close to what ‌the U.S. has⁣ sent. ⁣And on Thursday, ⁤the Pentagon ‍confirmed that​ controversial cluster⁤ bombs provided‍ by⁢ the U.S. had arrived in Ukraine. ​The munitions were​ part of an ⁢$800⁤ million⁢ weapons package to the country. 

President‍ Joe⁣ Biden⁤ has made similar​ comments regarding American aid to ‌the country, saying⁤ the U.S. ​would continue ⁢to send weapons and support for “as ‍long as⁢ it takes.” Despite⁣ this, the number of Americans⁤ weary of ‌continued aid to Ukraine​ is increasing. 

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According to a Gallup ‌poll released last⁣ month, 44% ‍of Republicans and Republican-leaning voters believe the ​aid⁣ is “too ​much,” up‌ from 40% in January and 9%⁤ in March⁤ 2022. Just ‍14% of Democrats and Democrat-leaning ‌voters have the same view ⁢as of⁢ June, up from ⁤5% in March‍ 2022. 

Last week,⁢ Ukrainian President‍ Volodymyr​ Zelensky received advice ⁤from the United ⁤Kingdom’s‍ Secretary of ‍State for ​Defense, who said the country ⁣must ‌be ​more grateful for‌ the international ⁤aid it continues ‍to receive. 

“There is a ⁣slight word of caution here, ‍which is that whether ‌we like it⁢ or not people‌ want⁢ to see gratitude,” Wallace told‍ journalists‍ during⁢ a briefing. ​“My counsel ⁤to the Ukrainians ‍is sometimes you’re⁤ persuading countries to ‍give up ⁤their ⁢own⁣ stocks ⁤[of‍ weapons] and yes the ‍war is⁤ a noble ‍war ​and⁣ yes we see⁢ it as you doing a war for⁤ — ⁣not just ⁤yourself — but​ our freedoms.”

Since early ‌June,‍ Ukraine has ⁤been engaged ‌in ‍a ‌counteroffensive against ​Russia. According to American and European officials, in the ⁤first two ‍weeks​ of ​the campaign,‌ roughly 20% of ⁤the​ weaponry on the ⁢battlefield was ⁤either ‍destroyed or damaged, including Western ⁤tanks ⁤and armored personnel carriers, according to a report​ from ⁤The⁤ New‌ York Times. However, ⁣in the⁢ weeks ⁢after, that ‌number dropped to closer to 10% partly because of changing tactics, the report‌ noted.