Ukraine, which has taken the top positions of the State and Defense Ministries, Antony Blinken and Lloyd Austin respectively, was visited this Saturday by a delegation of Democratic congressmen led by Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi. He met with Volodymyr Zelensky, the country’s top official, who has traveled to Kiev since the start of the conflict, and declared that he supported the Ukrainians “until victory”.
In addition to what this means in terms of geopolitics and US international involvement, Pelosi’s trip envisions the role Ukraine will play in US domestic politics in the coming months. In November this year, the so-called “by-elections” of Congress will be held in that country. These elections are vital to the Joe Biden administration, as they will define his ability to lead in the second half of his term.
Currently, Biden’s party holds a slight majority in the legislatures. According to the most recent survey Congress Research ServiceThere are 225 Democrats, 211 Republicans and 5 vacant seats in the current House of Representatives. There are 50 Republicans, 48 Democrats and 2 independents in the Senate. group meeting with the Democrats. However, prospects aren’t the most promising for the president, as a number of polls show Republicans have the advantage in the 2022 race so far.
Prior to Ukraine, Biden faced criticism that started with the management of the Covid-19 pandemic and extended to the country’s economic problems, primarily due to inflation. record and rising fuel prices. With its unsuccessful departure from Afghanistan in 2021, its popularity has faced its worst decline since the government’s inception.
From the very beginning, the Ukraine crisis was an opportunity to build consensus within the United States. Speaking to the US Congress a few days after the Russian invasion, Biden received a standing ovation from members of both parties. The crisis in Eastern Europe stopped Biden’s disapproval and led to the bipartisan process of billions of foreign aid packages. The latter, presented days ago, provided the shipment of US$33 billion to Ukraine, of which more than US$20 billion would be in military equipment such as artillery and armored vehicles.
Despite this, Biden’s life remains difficult. The previous problems still remain and the country’s own public opinion is very volatile when it comes to war. A Gallup poll conducted in mid-March shows Americans have an extremely negative view of Russia and Vladimir Putin, and widespread support for economic sanctions. However, the data suggest that Ukraine is not necessarily the majority’s top priority when paying attention to the conflict. Overall, the focus remains on inflation.
A CBS poll reinforces the idea that US voters support economic pressure, but vehemently rejects the idea of direct military intervention in the European conflict. The policy of imposing financial and trade restrictions has almost 80% support, while the rate of sending troops to Ukraine, for example, is no more than 25%.
In that sense, the numbers point to an ambiguous view of Biden and the Democrats. While noting that there is a congruence between what the public wants and what the president does, the majority (55%) disapprove of his way of dealing with the crisis and demand a larger role from the US. The information is bolstered by more recent data from AP-NORC, where the perception that Biden is not tough enough on Russia has emerged.
Thus, every little gesture, including Pelosi’s recent visit to Ukraine, represents another attempt for domestic consumption to contribute to what appears to be the Democratic challenge to November 2022: to show power, to control exposure risks.
source: Noticias
