Why are Republicans dovish on Russia but hawkish on China?

[RFK 2024]

Russia is a declining state.  Their war in Ukraine is a last ditch effort to try and grasp on to whatever influence they have left in eastern Europe.  Demographically speaking they're f***ed and they know it.  Their era of dominance peaked when they were the Soviet Union.  Rapidly aging population, declining workforce, plus strong anti-immigration sentiment.  China knows this as well, and their peace deal proposal is an attempt to weasel into Putin's sphere.

China is the real threat, and in many ways they have surpassed the United States as the world's true hegemonic power.  They dominate America economically, demographically, and their cultural influence is rapidly expanding (e.g. Tiktok, the Belt Road Initative).  They have been on the rise since capitalist reforms in the 1980s.  Republicans recognize this, and see it as a threat to American sovereignty/supremacy.  You often see this framed as "freedom vs communism", but it's actually a lot more complicated.  I think it's also important to recognize that many GOP politicians have high regard for neorealist theory, despite their recent attempts to frame themselves as isolationists.  Anyone that threatens America's position is an enemy of the state.  Russia simply fails to meet this criteria.