91茄子

91茄子
Ukrainian flag
Ukrainian and American flags atop of a restaurant in Crystal City, Virginia, Nov. 3. Majority of Americans back the U.S. assistance to Ukraine but differ on partisan lines as to how much is enough. (Photo: Abe Aksoy)

Where does Ukraine count in the midterms?

Some voters in deep-blue Northern Virginia say they support U.S. military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine. But the election could affect U.S. policy under new congressional leadership.

The war in Ukraine and American aid to the country are on the minds of candidates and some Northern Virginia voters as a deep blue district head to the polls.

At stake: Will the midterms change the U.S. approach toward the crisis?

鈥淚t is more than Ukraine at this point,鈥 said Arlington, Virginia, resident Michael Luttrell, 54, a global health professional.

Though the Russian invasion has created energy shortages and global economic turmoil, Luttrell said he backs Ukraine aid 鈥渂ecause of the increasing instability鈥 the conflict can lead to in the region.

While the majority of Americans say they support the sovereignty of Ukraine, a Ukrainian defeat and a broader expansion of the crisis are now less of a concern to them, according to the survey.

A yard sign of incumbent Democrat Donald Beyer Jr. in the National Landing neighborhood of Arlington, Va., Nov. 3. Beyer has backed Ukraine aid and voted to accelerate military aid. (Photo: Abe Aksoy)

In Virginia鈥檚 8th Congressional District, Rep. Donald Beyer Jr., a Democrat, faces Republican Karina Lipsman. Beyer May 2 to expedite military aid to Ukraine, and in March, legislation to prevent Russian misinformation against Americans, while Lipsman said she backs Ukraine support with transparency and accountability.

鈥淚 am for supporting Ukraine,鈥 Lipsman said. 鈥淏ut for me, it is really about preventing this war from happening in the first place.鈥

The election could impact American support for Ukraine as several lawmakers have signaled that the U.S. could shift its approach. The Congressional Progressive Caucus a letter to President Joe Biden to reconsider his administration鈥檚 Ukraine strategy. The caucus later the letter.

Another indication came from House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, noting what could happen if Republicans took over the House. While reiterating that support for Ukraine is very important, he has there would be 鈥渘o more blank checks鈥 to Ukraine.

The Ukrainian Embassy on M Street in Georgetown, Washington, D.C. The Biden administration has provided more than $18.5 billion in military aid to the Ukrainian government since January 2021. (Photo: Abe Aksoy)

鈥淚 don鈥檛 know what that means,鈥 Luttrell said. 鈥淚 don’t know what is enough, but I see continuing with the support at least in the foreseeable future because it is not over. So, I am all for continued support.鈥

Lipsman, a Ukrainian immigrant who arrived in the United States in 1993, said McCarthy鈥檚 comments do not reflect hers and that she would not align herself 鈥渨ith any one member of Congress.鈥

鈥淎s a Ukrainian immigrant, also with family that still lives in Ukraine, obviously this is a topic that hits a little bit closer to home than the people who are in Congress right now who just could never understand that,鈥 Lipsman said.

While she supports the U.S. assistance to Kyiv, she calls for 鈥渁ccountability into where that money is actually going.鈥

鈥淚t is not about cutting off aid as they do still need humanitarian aid,鈥 she said. 鈥淭hat is why I think Congress needs to be held accountable for is the transparency as soon as they send a check over.鈥

A yard sign of Republican candidate Karina Lipsman in Potomac Yards, Arlington, Nov. 3. Lipsman was born in Ukraine and emigrated to the U.S. in 1993. (Photo: Abe Aksoy)

Nine months into the war, Americans remain in support of Ukraine. Almost three-fourths of Americans believe that U.S. aid to Ukraine should continue, according to a poll. Of these, 81% of Democrats and 66% of Republicans support the U.S. government鈥檚 stance.

鈥淚 am in full support of U.S. aid to Ukraine,鈥 Arlington resident Hunter Metz, 50, a manager, said. 鈥淚 don’t think any appeasement to Putin needs to be made, he can stop this at any time he wants.鈥

Metz, who identifies as an independent, said while Ukraine is a great concern to him and the U.S. should continue to back the war-torn country, a candidate鈥檚 stance on the crisis 鈥渨ould not be a make-or-break opinion鈥 for him to vote for a candidate.

Partisan lines indicated differences when asked about what voters think about the U.S. support, according to . Among participants in a Sept. 22 survey, 32% of Republicans and 11% of Democrats stated the aid is excessive, while 45% of Democrats and 30% of Republicans considered current U.S. support sufficient.

鈥淚 support continuing the funding because it is not over and we don鈥檛 know when it is going to end,鈥 Luttrell, who said he leans Democrat, said. 鈥淚 am afraid if we stopped the support, it would lead to instability in the region.鈥 He said he would not support a candidate who just wanted to pull out.

A view of the State Department鈥檚 Harry S. Truman Building on 23rd Street in Foggy Bottom, Washington, D.C., Nov. The State Department approved $275 million in aid to Ukraine in October. (Photo: Abe Aksoy)

Secretary of State Anthony Blinken in October an additional $275 million military assistance to Ukraine, totaling the amount to $18.5 billion since President Joe Biden took office.

While it is not clear whether Republicans鈥 possible leadership could drastically change the U.S. stance, it is less likely to block it. In May only 57 Republicans a bill that would provide $40 billion to Ukraine, a number far below the threshold required to block a bill.

A 65-year-old cyber security analyst who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to her role at a private company said that she supports Ukraine and the attempts to assist the war-torn country with financial aid. But she added the infinite distribution of aid constitutes a deferment of 鈥渙ther financial responsibilities here in this country.鈥

鈥淚 think there are financial considerations for any kind of spending because we have a certain amount of tax dollars that need to be distributed across multiple priorities,鈥 the Alexandria Republican said.

Ibrahim Aksoy

Ibrahim 'Abe' Aksoy is a graduate student at American University pursuing a master's degree in journalism and public affairs international specialty. Abe is also an investigative reporting intern at the Investigative Reporting Workshop where he covers immigration.

Add comment

Follow us

Don't be shy, get in touch. We love meeting interesting people and making new friends.

Most popular

Most discussed