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take a look at polling. americans are supporting the ukraine. this is from polling. it is taken on august 22. 50% say they are following the russia ukraine conflict somewhat or very closely. 53% say it is worthwhile to pay more for fuel and gas due to the russian sanctions. this is down 10 points. 65% of the u.s. said the u.s. should take in refugees. that is down nine points. 51% support providing weapons to ukrainian military. that is down 20 points. the president is going to

announce an additional 3 billion in aid for ukraine. we want to get your thoughts on that this morning, and your reaction to this poll. do you agree or disagree with those numbers that you saw? take a look at this. but refugee aid. this is committed versus delivered weapons in the united states is leading followed by

poland, the u.k., canada, germany, denmark, etc. the six month anniversary of this conflict. what are your thoughts on this day? mark in northwood, new hampshire. caller: good morning. i think we have spent an enormous amount of money protecting other borders instead of our own. i am very disappointed in the amount of money we keep sending to ukraine when there is so much that needs to be done here in this country. teacher shortages, fuel shortages, expenses, to me, it is unconscionable that we spend this money overseas when it is needed here. thank you. host: john in california. good morning. caller: we should be reminded that this war did not start this year. it started eight years ago.

america was never really filled in on how american special forces -- they have been over there waging war against russia. i guess there has to be some looking into the truth about how we got into this mess. i think, basically, america fracked itself to death and the only way to save america is to get russia's gas. that is with the war is about. host: cnbc reporting ukraine is calling for more weapons and sanctions on russia. nearly 18 million people need

aid. a warning over the threat of russian strikes on this anniversary. urging remaining americans in ukraine to leave the country, bracing for fresh russian attacks. the president warned may be particularly nasty. the u.n. sounding the alarm over the ukrainian nuclear power plant russia has control over. the amount of grain leaving in exports has increased. from the defense minister calling for additional weapons and sanctions on russia as the war approaches at the six-month mark. it coincides with ukraine's independence day.

the russia's war in ukraine has left 18 million people in serious need of humanitarian aid. the u.n. also warned the crisis will affect more people as winter approaches. they estimate the humanitarian organizations have scaled up operations in order to reach 11.7 million people since the war began six months ago. today marks six months. we are getting your thoughts. carl in portland, oregon. good morning. former military? caller: yes. host: what are your thoughts on this? caller: it is another complicated problem that the united states has gotten itself involved in. it seems it is all for humanitarian reasons. we are in support of people helping people not die. the only problem is we have a constant threat of going to war.

the united states pushing it? caller: from what i am trying to say is we are constantly threatening russia. host: by supporting ukraine with weapons? caller: excuse the? host: by supporting ukraine with weapons? caller: i would say so. that is my opinion. the deal is if russia puts one

man in poland, we are in. we are in up to our necks. i think we have military people in poland ready to strike. i would say this is a lot more important than just sitting on the sidelines like people act like. we are up to our necks already. host: kylie in ellicott city, maryland. caller: good morning. it worries me that folks are so open to the idea of putin and russia invading neighboring

countries and taking them over and we should sit back and do nothing. we have an issue on our border. we have inflation for sure. but we cannot let russia and china take over neighboring countries. if we let putin do what he does, china will take over taiwan and where does this end? this is america. it is part of, i think, our strategic plan to make sure we do not put our troops in there but we support them with weapons. we have to be strong in these areas or we are going to have major problems down the road. russia is isolated. what they did with the hope that we would be isolationist -- and i hear on the right side the weirdest narrative about us doing something to russia,

defending putin. he is a dictator and he tried to do things we stand up to. the rest of the world -- we are not alone -- the rest of the world is standing up to them. their economy is imploding. they are so isolated. this is going to be super important to stop china from these ideas, because if we isolate china globally, their economy will do the same thing. i wish americans would be a little more focused on these threats of the future by standing strong now so we don't have major problems in the next couple of decades. host: look at this map for those of you that can see the screen. it is a map of ukraine. the area in red is the assessed russian advance. and the areas with black outline are russian controlled before february 24. this is what they controlled before and the red outline is where they advanced into ukraine. so, just to give you an idea of what the conflict looks like six

months later. i want to follow up on that caller and the economy. this is reporting by the washington post. western sanctions are wounding, but not yet crushing, russia's economy. while most economists agree russia is suffering real damage that will mount overtime, the economy, at least on the surface, does not appear to be collapsing. the initial nosedive quickly reversed after the state limited transactions and russian imports plummeted. an economic picture hardly described as healthy but one that calmed public fears of crisis. russia continues journey billions of dollars -- earn billions of dollars from oil exports. john and virginia. good morning. caller: i am glad you mentioned what you just mentioned. they are still doing great.

they are making billions. zelenskyy is able to give his speech in a secure location and when you look at the infrastructure of ukraine and the damage done in the thousands of lives lost, children, women, it is devastating. this should have never happened. i was shocked and i pretty much watched the news, i did not realize it has been six months. that goes to the media in terms of them not focusing on it to that level as they do other things. but six months this is been going on. in the end, you think we are spending money now?

watch when it is over. zelenskyy is going to be like, hey, they are going to help us rebuild ukraine. which we are, because we are in it with them. it should never have happened. this could have been prevented and i wish that we had stronger leadership. that is why i have got to say. i appreciate c-span. host: we are going to keep taking calls this morning to get your thoughts on the ukraine-russia conflict six months after it began. yesterday at the united nations in new york, russia called a un security council meeting over the nuclear plant in ukraine. this is the headline out of ukraine, a nuclear plant held hostage. russia and ukraine claiming the other side is the one that has been launching strikes at the nuclear power plant. listen to russia's ambassador

responding about the safety concerns of this nuclear plant. [video clip] >> russia is not allocating heavy weaponry and using it for military purpose. they stand by to provide high-resolution photos which shows the weaponry is not located at the station. mr. president, recently, ukraine had the visit of the u.s. secretary-general and we had hopes on his trip. we expected the u.n. demand they stop shelling the station. but we did not hear from the secretary words of condemnation other than appeals to military activity should avoid it.

i would like to ask whether the secretary managed to obtain from zelenskyy promised to stop shelling the station. the shelling of the station, by ukraine, should continue. from day one we have supported efforts to organize a mission and we did everything we could to make sure the expert visit took place in june. host: from yesterday's you and security council --u.n. security council meeting. here's with the ukrainian ambassador had to say. [video clip] >> to listen to fictitious soundbites.

the terrorist state does not stop playing around with the international community. it has the audacity to convene the u.n. security council meeting to discuss its own provocations, its own terror. let me reiterate the current situation and make it clear we will ultimately remove the nuclear threats stemming from the legal russian presence at the power plant. and the return of the station to the legitimate control by ukraine. host: the new york times with the headline, very little was resolved at that meeting yesterday. shelling and gunfire have repeatedly hit the nuclear power

plant which has six reactors. spent fuel storage and other spots raising fears of disastrous radiation relief, especially if the coolant systems were damaged. the u.n. security council meeting will gather again. they will get a briefing on the war six months later. we will have coverage right here on c-span, 10:00 a.m. eastern, and on our video app. it is called c-span now or you can watch on demand on the website, c-span.org. we are going to get back to your calls on marking six months of this conflict. joining us on the phone is matt lee, diplomatic writer for the associated press. he wrote the story yesterday about the u.s. sending an additional $3 billion in aid to ukraine. matthew, what is this additional aid?

can you give us specifics about what it will include? guest: good morning. this is a package, it is going to be the largest military aid package the u.s. has sent to ukraine since the war began. they have already sent 19 separate sets of assistance totaling about $10.6 billion. but this roughly $3 billion is unlike those earlier ones. this will be focused more on medium and longer-term defensive needs ukraine has, and will continue to have, as the work continues. unlike the previous packages sent under pda, or presidential drawdown authority which is

weapons and ammunition that come from existing pentagon stocks, a lot of this new package is going to be items that still need to be produced. so, some of the stuff is going to be a year maybe two down the line before it can be completed and sent. it will include some new drone systems, including the unusually named vampire system, which is an anti-drone, drone. a drone system used to take down other drones. as well as some new kinds of equipment they have not sent before. but this is a substantial aid package and the administration is time get not just to the six month anniversary but also to ukrainian independence day,

which is today. host: you said some of this weaponry is one year out from being issued to ukraine. what does that tell you about the u.s.'s analysis of the conflict? guest: there is a sense among quite a few american officials that this is going to drag out, you know, over months if not years. even if it is reduced to a lower level conflict. but the sense was ukraine, while it is important for them to get their immediate needs met in terms of artillery and antitank missiles, there is also the need to prepare for the longer-term,

a longer haul as the conflict continues. i think what they are trying to do is, while they are supplying ukraine -- not just the u.s. but other allied countries as well -- supply ukraine with what they need in the immediate term, there is also the feeling they are going to have to shift toward the long haul, the medium and further out needs ukraine will have if the russians processed. host: matthew lee, the state department morning americans to leave ukraine as they approach today's independence day of the country. how many americans did the state department say are in the country?

guest: no, because they do not know. american citizens are not required to register with the embassy or the state department if and when they go to ukraine. at any time, there are probably several hundred at least if not several thousand. those include aid workers, those that have gone over to join or try to join the fight against russia. they are journalists, diplomats, there are potentially businessman. fast food chains have said they are going to reopen the franchises in ukraine. it is very difficult for the state department and the u.s. government in general to tell how many there are there in

ukraine at any given time. let's remember the u.s. has been warning consistently since earlier this year if not late last year for americans to leave. but because of the convergence of these events, the six month anniversary of independence day and the car bombing outside moscow that the russians have blamed on ukraine, there is a sense that the russians may step up their attacks, particularly on civilian infrastructure and government facilities. that is what counts for this new alert. host: matthew lee, a veteran reporter of the state department. c-span viewers will know he normally gets the first question at the state department

briefing. if there is a briefing today, what is your question? guest: [laughter] if there is a briefing today, it may not be about ukraine. the state department's role and what is going to happen today is limited. this arms shipment is going to be coming under the ukraine security assistance initiative which is part of the $40 billion package congress passed and president biden signed earlier this year. it is coming from the pentagon. this is military money. the state department will certainly put something out. it will be more, i understand, around congratulating ukraine on its independence day and stepping up the criticism of russia. we have another big, international story going on. if there is a briefing, i would

lead the briefing with the iran nuclear negotiations. that said, this package for ukraine is significant. it is a big deal and it is extremely important. host: matthew lee, diplomatic writer with the associated press. you can follow him @ap diplowriter. thank you. guest: thank you very much. host: back to your thoughts this morning on ukraine's independence day and the six month, today, ukraine has been fighting russia. jason in san diego, what do you think? caller: good morning, c-span. i want to mention one of the last callers said that should have never happened.

you have to understand, with all of the stuff that has been happening here in the last administration, never has this happened that putin and his henchmen came to the u.s. and met with trump. trump did not have anybody in there from his administration. 2.5 hours behind closed doors he was talking to putin and his henchmen. what do you think happened? did he tell his people, no, you are not invited? what did they talk about? i believe he gave putin the ok to do it because he was going to get reelected. that is how it went down. we will never know what they talked about. host: janice in louisiana, what do you think? caller: hello. this is janice. we should not send money and

more materials to ukraine. we then are at war with russia. have we forgotten russia was an ally in world war ii? the ukraine situation is a delayed civil war. ukraine should've helped greater russia after the devastation caused by the nazis. destroying cities and killing millions of russians. they are all russian and speak russian. russia let ukraine withdraw years ago. sort of like the texas in the usa decided to leave the union. can you imagine? zelenskyy managed to aggravate putin. russia wants to be more social, like europe and england. host: rob in new york city. let's hear your thoughts this

morning. caller: good morning. thank you for c-span. if i remember correctly, we disarmed ukraine of their nuclear weapons. had that not happened i think we would have a very different, less aggressive putin and russia. because there would be a deterrent. we make these -- i don't know if the word is geopolitical -- but we make these worldwide mistakes. when we toppled, mistakenly, saddam hussein, we strengthened iran and we ruined iraq. that doesn't seem all that complicated. it almost seems like two and two is four. although it is complicated, i am

not trying to minimize it, but for sure there was medication -- communication between our former president and putin when they only had translators present and no one else could record what was being discussed. yes, i actually do think, in anticipation of a second term by our former president, that they were figuring a time period when putin could invade and do this horrible thing. then we should be supporting ukraine. i agree 1000% we should be sending weapons. if you don't stop them in ukraine, what is next? we are going to have to fight them in poland? i agree 1000%. host: i have got to get some other voices in. don in missouri, it is your turn.

caller: i am opposed to this biden's war and hunter biden's war. he was involved with them before the war began. he was over there exchanging gifts. president trump is right. ukrainians would never have died if trump had been in there. he would have signed some kind of peace treaty and this never would have been. now we are sending more of our treasury and the inflation going higher and higher because biden had to have -- the democrats had to have another war. they cannot exist without war. host: we will go to new york and quanda? is that your name? caller: yes, greta. host: go ahead with your

thoughts. caller: i will be as quick as possible. i want to say i send love to all of the afghan victims who are murdered and slaughtered and wounded. president trump, you are fabulous. all of these people saying it is trump's fault, they are lying and ridiculous. this is joe biden. he did all of this. the evidence is there. he is a weak president. he has let millions of illegal aliens into our country. host: tie this back to ukraine. caller: the ukrainians are backless people, -- fabulous people and i love them. however, we should not be supporting them at the level we are. somebody needs to kill putin and get him off the stage. we cannot continue to support ukraine. we don't know how zelenskyy is, if he is corrupt or not.

it was one phone call that got president trump impeached for nothing. and there were thousands of people on the call with him. i love the ukrainian people and i don't want them to go through this, but something's not right. this is not right. take care. host: we go to michael in west virginia. morning to you. caller: good morning. i got something to say. people probably will not believe it. this work --war -- and i can prove it. go back and listen to speeches before the war started. biden told russia to take the eastern part of ukraine.

that was on the news before the war started. if you do not believe it, listen to his speeches. host: on the six-month marketing -- marking of the conflict in ukraine and ukraine's independence day, celebrating 31 years of independence. president biden will announce an additional $3 billion in weaponry. as we heard from matthew lee, this is on top of $10.6 billion in military weaponry. it is the 20th drawdown by the president in supplying ukraine with weapons. with that information, we want to know what you think about u.s. support for ukraine and the conflict. lee in winchester, illinois. you are former military? caller: yes, i am from the navy. what i noticed in the beginning

is a complete lack of focus of -- [indiscernible] the news media saying the russian killed so many today. putin's name needs to be on all of that. i am going to introduce snake logic. that means sanctions, sending weapons are nothing but bites on the tail of the snake. we all know the only way to kill a snake is to cut its head off. it seems like there is a complete blackout in the media about discussing the reward on putin's life. host: i am going to leave it at that. in other news, there were primaries held yesterday in a few states. beginning with new york, here is "the new york times."

jerry nadler routes carolyn maloney in the new york democratic primary. upstate voters send abortion message, is the headline. here is congressman jerry nadler, chair of the judiciary committee in the house, after he was projected the winner. [video clip] >> i know when confronted with fights as massive as those that lie before us, it can feel impossible to do anything but surrender. but here's the thing. i am a new yorker. [cheers] just like ted weiss and ruth messenger. we new yorkers do not know how to surrender. [cheering] new yorkers stand up and fight. when it comes to unpacking the supreme court, i am going to stand up and fight. [cheers] we are going to end the scourge

of gun violence in america because we are going to stand up and fight. we're going to restore abortion access across our nation. [cheering] i am going to stand up and fight to protect and expand our other fundamental rights. all of you in this room and many others stood up over the past few months and fought for me. all i can offer in return is my solemn promise to head back to washington and do the same for you. host: congressman nadler declared the winner for the democratic primary in new york last night. she and carolyn maloney, both longtime incumbents, faced off in that primary battle after their district was redrawn to -- redrawn. they put them in the same one.

carolyn maloney is the chair of the house oversight committee. here she is in her concession speech. we will show you that in a minute. back to our calls on the six-month ongoing conflict in ukraine and the fight against -- in their fight against russia. mark in fairfax, good morning. caller: good morning. i wanted to commend that -- comment that we have to realize russia, china, and much of the world, much of africa, even india, is moving toward these -- democracy is in threat. even the u.s. is in this crisis. the stakes are in contention for the congress. so, we will be getting more and

more extreme candidates and democracy is in trouble around the world and the u.s. host: lloyd in west virginia, good morning. caller: good morning. i just want to say ukraine and russia have been at each other for a long time. ukraine knew what russia might do, so why did they not build up their own military and meet them at the border when they tried to come across? every time democrats are in, we get involved in wars. somehow, either we are sending troops in, or we involved in other ways. that is the way of the democrats, and this is a lot of money for things that are unnecessary. that is the way i feel about. host: melissa in chicago, what do you feel about it?

melissa in chicago? good morning to you. guest: -- caller: yes, high. thanks for taking my call. i think this is ridiculous. ukraine is a very corrupt country, and it belongs to russia. dragging us into this -- i think china is just laughing. the u.s. dollar will be worth $.30 in the next couple of years, and they are going to be knocking for their money. they are going to take over. the dollar is no longer going to be the universal commerce anymore. it is not going to be the dollar. that is all i have to say. i think biden is the worst, the very worst, we have had. he is going to take this country down. host: vanessa in princeton junction, new jersey.

caller: i want to remind all of you that this so-called war, american dreams came true. biden said he wanted ignorant and stupid men. thinking that russia can succumb to their own dreams, that is not going to happen. ukraine is the most corrupted country. it is part of russian history. america will continue giving -- initiated although continued, giving my -- all the continued, giving money but the american people should ask themselves, does that money really go to ukraine? host: vanessa and the other caller, i encourage you to look at the tweet sent out by the

ukrainian president to his charitable organization. the organization put together a short video on the history, the independence history, of ukraine. you can find it if you go to president zelenskyy's twitter account, and you can find the history. it is about a minute long. gloria in linden, tennessee. caller: good morning. i want to call and say now. -- i wanted to call and say i have been watching your show for over a year now. so much information and you let me know how many people in this country whose minds are truly disturbed. i believe that we should support any country that wants to have a democracy. i don't feel any country should be able to just come in and take over another country that has been established since the end of world war ii. come on, people.

wake up, read your bible. find out there is going to be hate everywhere but we have to do the best good we can while we can. host: we told you all about the new york primary and the election battle in that state. going to florida now, here is the miami herald. florida democrats shows charlie crist, the former governor of the state who was a republican, he switched parties and won his seat in the house. they chose him to challenge and beat desantis. the question the miami herald posed on their front page is can he? there is also the story from the local news down in florida in the tampa bay area. val demings wins the senate primary to challenge marco rubio in november. two races to watch in florida.

max in texas, what do you think about military support that texas, what do you think about -- military support that the u.s. is sending to ukraine since you are former military? caller: i think it is well justified. people have to remember this is not just about ukraine, is about the international order. it is about not fighting a unconstrained war with russia or china. people have to remember there are a lot of balls in play here. host: suzanne, what do you think? caller: what do i think? host: yes, good morning. caller: even before i go on? host: you are on television. we are listening to you. caller: i do not see myself. host: you are not going to see yourself. just go ahead. caller: i think president biden is wondrous.

host: suzanne, you're going to have to mute your phone. i mean -- caller: let me turn it off. host: bigger television. -- mute your television. caller: i think president biden is a wondrous man and everything he has done is overwhelming. and i have very low money. however, i will always think everything he has done is just incredible. and that man -- although the money has gone down, yes, it costs more for gas, food, big -- but big deal. he is helping people and he has done everything anybody should do. and -- pres. biden: