As US President Joe Biden leaves the White House after five decades in public service, he has, raced to frame his handling of the war in Ukraine as a success story rather than a costly, unfinished conflict. The president’s team pushed a final message to Americans and international allies since losing the election last year: Ukraine is still holding the line, US support was worth it, and abandoning Kyiv now would be a mistake.
But Biden’s pro-Ukraine messaging didn’t land as smoothly as it once did. Public support has weakened, Republicans in Congress are increasingly resistant to further aid, and Trump’s administration has already hinted at cutting future assistance.
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Meanwhile, Russia isn’t waiting for Washington to figure itself out. The Kremlin has spent the past two years waging an aggressive disinformation campaign inside the US, working to erode confidence in Ukraine, undermine Biden’s credibility, and drive deeper political divisions in Washington.
With Biden having exited and Trump in power, his messaging war against Russia is far from over.
How effectively has he managed to sell Americans – both everyday citizens and political elites in Washington – on supporting Ukraine and remaining a stalwart for democracy worldwide? And how much of the growing skepticism toward continued US aid is due to Moscow’s influence efforts?
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Russia has actively exploited domestic divisions through extensive disinformation campaigns targeting American audiences.
Support for Ukraine waned under Biden
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Biden sought to rally Americans behind a pro-Ukraine stance and position Washington as Kyiv’s most crucial ally. His administration poured billions of dollars into military and humanitarian aid, framed the war as a fight between democracy and authoritarianism, and pressured European partners to follow suit.
Yet nearly three years into the full-scale war, the administration’s messaging struggled to maintain momentum. While support for Ukraine was initially high, a growing segment of the US public now questions Washington’s involvement.
A survey by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs in early 2024 showed that support for military aid had dropped from 79% in March 2022 to 58%. A Pew Research Center survey in July 2024 found that 54% of Americans approved of continuing military aid to Ukraine, down from 60% in May 2023.
A Gallup poll from December 2024 found that 50% of Americans now desire a quick end to the war, even if that means Ukraine does not recover all of its territory – a seven percentage point increase since March 2024. The poll also showed that 37% of Americans believe the US is doing too much to help Ukraine, up from 28% in August 2023.
The Biden administration tried to frame US support for Ukraine as a necessary defense of democratic values and international stability. “Ukraine will never be a victory for Russia, for free people refuse to live in a world of hopelessness and darkness,” Biden declared in a March 2022 statement.
But as economic concerns take center stage with Trump assuming the presidency, Biden’s impact on sustaining domestic backing for continued military aid post-Jan. 20 remains uncertain.
Republican divisions on Ukraine deepen with Biden leaving office
The growing skepticism toward US aid to Ukraine isn’t happening in a vacuum. While economic concerns and political divisions fuel debates over continued support, these shifts in public sentiment have also been actively reinforced by Russian disinformation campaigns.
Moscow has strategically exploited existing partisan divides, amplifying narratives that paint Ukraine as corrupt, US military aid as wasteful, and Biden’s foreign policy as reckless.
The Biden administration had sought to counter Republican skepticism by emphasizing Ukraine’s battlefield gains and the geopolitical risks of abandoning Kyiv. He warned that allowing Russia to succeed in Ukraine would embolden other countries to challenge Western partners and disrupt the global balance of power.
“Faced with a threat to the peace and stability of the world, to democratic values we hold dear, to freedom itself, we did what we always do: The United States stepped up. NATO stepped up,” Biden said in 2023 remarks. “Our partners in Europe, in the Indo-Pacific stepped up. All across the world they stepped up.” 
But concerns over corruption in Ukraine and transparency in US military spending have provided ammunition for critics, fueling debates about whether Washington should impose stricter conditions on future aid or even stop it altogether. While the Biden administration and Senate Republicans, led by figures like Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, consistently supported assistance to Kyiv, a faction of hardline conservatives in the House advocated for reducing or eliminating such aid to be able to focus on domestic priorities, according to The Hill.
Newly elected President Trump has been vocal about reassessing US involvement in Ukraine. He has promised to “end the war in 24 hours” and suggested that European nations should take greater responsibility for supporting Kyiv. This perspective has resonated with certain Republican members, leading to tangible actions in Congress.
McConnell continues to champion support for Ukraine, emphasizing that countering Russia is a strategic priority for the US and NATO allies. But the Republican-led House has seen increased opposition, with figures like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene advocating for an immediate halt to Ukraine funding.
House Speaker Mike Johnson faced substantial pressure from far-right Republicans to block additional aid to Ukraine in December 2023, for instance. This internal party pressure resulted in the omission of $6 billion in Ukraine assistance from a government funding bill, despite efforts by Senate leaders to include it. Political analysts suggest that Trump’s position has emboldened GOP resistance, making future aid packages increasingly uncertain.
These internal divisions have prompted concern among current US allies and Ukrainian officials alike. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky extended his congratulations to the president-elect after his swift electoral victory last year, highlighting the significance of continued US support.
“I am looking forward to personally congratulating President Trump and discussing ways to strengthen Ukraine’s strategic partnership with the United States,” Zelensky said.
By seeding doubt across media ecosystems – from social platforms to right-wing news outlets – Russia has worked to erode confidence in Ukraine’s ability to win the war and deepen Washington’s internal discord. This fusion of domestic political fatigue and foreign influence has made sustaining the US commitment to Kyiv an increasingly uphill battle.
Russian disinformation fuels skepticism in the US
As Biden strived to maintain US support for Ukraine, Russia has actively exploited domestic divisions through extensive disinformation campaigns targeting American audiences. According to US intelligence reports, Moscow has engaged in multi-pronged efforts to erode support for Ukraine by promoting anti-Ukraine narratives via social media manipulation, state-sponsored media, and covert influence operations. A significant tactic includes funneling funds into right-wing media networks to disseminate messages aimed at discouraging continued US aid.
In September 2024, the US Department of Justice indicted two Russian nationals, Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, for allegedly funneling nearly $10 million through a Tennessee-based media company, Tenet Media, to fund conservative influencers. These influencers, including well-known personalities such as Tim Pool, Dave Rubin, and Benny Johnson, were reportedly unaware of the true source of the funding. The operation aimed to amplify US domestic divisions and weaken opposition to Russian interests, including its war in Ukraine, according to AP.
These campaigns have propagated key Kremlin-backed narratives, including:
- Ukraine is corrupt, and US aid is being wasted.
- Biden is using Ukraine to cover up his own corruption.
- The US military is being weakened by excessive aid to Ukraine.
Such talking points have gained traction among segments of the US electorate, especially within right-wing media circles and online forums. In response, the Biden administration attempted to counteract Russian disinformation by working with technology companies to curb the spread of Kremlin-backed propaganda. The State Department’s Global Engagement Center (GEC) has been instrumental in these efforts by exposing and countering foreign disinformation campaigns, according to Slate.
Despite these initiatives, the challenge remains daunting. A September report by Le Monde highlighted that, despite bans on RT and Sputnik in the US, Russian state-backed media have maintained strong influence in regions like Latin America, Africa, and even segments of the US audience, particularly through platforms like Telegram and alternative streaming services. 
Political analysts warned that Russia’s disinformation efforts would likely intensify ahead of the 2024 US election, as Moscow sought to capitalize on domestic political divisions to weaken American resolve on Ukraine, according to AP. Following the election, these efforts have reportedly continued, aiming to exploit the transition period and influence public opinion against sustained support for Ukraine. 
If Trump follows through on his pledges to scale back support, history may look back on this moment as the turning point where America’s commitment wavered.
An enduring legacy and an ongoing war
With Biden leaving office, his presidency will be defined not just by policies and decisions, but by the narratives that endure. The war in Ukraine remains unfinished – not just on the battlefield, but in the minds of the American public.
His administration’s efforts to rally support for Kyiv faced mounting political resistance, economic anxieties, and a well-orchestrated Russian disinformation campaign designed to erode confidence in Ukraine and deepen domestic divisions. While Biden repeatedly framed US support as a defining stand for democracy, his ability to sustain that message has faltered in the face of shifting public sentiment and Republican opposition.
Ultimately, Biden’s legacy on Ukraine will be judged not only by the billions in military aid sent, or the diplomatic alliances strengthened, but by whether his administration successfully countered the broader challenge of authoritarian influence – both abroad and at home.
The battle for Ukraine has also been a battle over truth, one that will continue long after Biden’s departure. If Trump follows through on his pledges to scale back support, history may look back on this moment as the turning point where America’s commitment wavered.
Whether Biden’s warnings about abandoning Ukraine resonate in the long run – or become a footnote in an era of rising isolationism – will depend on how the next administration interprets the war, and how deeply Russia’s narrative has taken hold in the US political landscape.
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