Washington: Prominent Republicans are digging in against American support for Ukraine despite Russia’s threats to use nuclear weapons and evidence of mass graves and war crimes facilitated by Moscow.

The Conservative Political Action Conference on tweeted – and then hours later deleted – a tweet on Friday (US time) that called on Democrats to “end the gift-giving to Ukraine” while featuring a fluttering Russian flag. The tweet also referred to “Ukraine-occupied territories,” appearing to legitimise Russian President Vladimir Putin’s claims to annex provinces based on a referendum that the US and allies view as illegal.

CPAC chairman Matt Schlapp on Saturday said the tweet did not clear the normal approval process because he was travelling for a conference in Australia. “Due to my travel into a distant time zone it was never approved per usual,” he said in a text message.

In a statement, CPAC expressed support for Ukraine but maintained opposition to American aid for the embattled country.

“We must oppose Putin, but American taxpayers should not be shouldering the vast majority of the cost,” the statement said. “The tweet belittled the plight of the innocent Ukrainian people.”

CPAC has repeatedly flirted with pro-Putin views in recent years, including hosting pro-Russian Hungarian prime minister Victor Orban at a Dallas conference in August.

CPAC is not alone among American conservatives in opposing Ukrainian aid despite Putin’s invasion. Fox News host Tucker Carlson has alleged US sabotage for leaks in a Russian gas pipeline to Europe, baseless claims that have earned him airtime on Russian state television. Former president Donald Trump also posted a message on his Truth Social platform offering himself as a negotiator for the conflict.

At a Trump rally in Michigan on Saturday, Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene reiterated her opposition to US aid to Ukraine and said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky should negotiate a peace settlement with Russia.