End Ukraine aid? Many South Carolina Republicans say yes, according to survey

As South Carolinians streamed in and out of polling stations amid the GOP primary Feb. 24, some voters' minds were far away, focused on a nation that is an ocean and half a continent away.

According to a survey from the Associated Press, a majority of voters in South Carolina’s Republican primary are opposed to providing continued aid to Ukraine, an issue in which the race's top two candidates firmly diverge. It's a foreign policy issue that has divided not just Democrats and Republicans, but has recently highlighted key differences between dueling Republican presidential candidates Donald Trump and Nikki Haley. Trump has repeatedly suggested he would minimize aid to Ukraine, while Haley has expressed maintaining support for the war-stricken ally.

More: Despite 'dim prospects,' battered but unbowed Ukraine fights on 2 years after invasion

Associated Press’ VoteCast survey finds about 6 in 10 GOP voters in the state oppose continuing aid to Ukraine in its battle against Russia, and roughly half want the U.S. to take “a less active role in solving the world’s problems.” Only a third surveyed described U.S. participation in NATO as “very good,” the poll says.

The former president called for providing Ukraine aid but only as a loan, and sparked further backlash for saying he might tell Russians to do "whatever the hell they want" to NATO nations that haven't made what he called sufficient financial contributions to the organization.

Saturday marked the second anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, launching a war and regional crisis that has left thousands dead and severely depleted the country's weapons stocks. On the very same day South Carolinians cast their votes, thousands of Ukrainians gathered themselves, attending vigils and speeches by Western leaders promising their continued support.

U.S. aid to the embattled nation has become a political lightning rod dividing not just the dueling Republican candidates, but the GOP party at large. A December Pew Research poll showed nearly half of Republicans and right-leaning independent voters think the U.S. is giving Ukraine too much money.

Kathryn Palmer is the California 2024 Elections Fellow for USA TODAY. Reach her at kapalmer@gannett.com and follow her on X @KathrynPlmr.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Survey: South Carolina Republicans want end to Ukraine aid