According to a survey conducted by the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy and NORC, popular support for the United States backing of Ukraine remains widespread, although it has slightly faded over the past 15 months since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The survey reveals that half of the people in the U.S. support the ongoing supply of weapons by the Pentagon to Ukraine for its defense against Russian forces, with this level of support remaining largely unchanged in the past year.
On the other hand, approximately a quarter of the respondents oppose sustained military assistance, which has surpassed $37 billion.
The poll also indicates that there are significant majorities among both Democrats and Republicans who believe that Russia’s attack on Ukraine was unjustified. Furthermore, about three out of four people in the U.S. express support for the United States playing some role in the conflict.
These findings align with the observations of Ukraine’s ambassador, who notes that she witnesses support for Ukraine when attending various events aimed at rallying crucial backing from the U.S., such as think tanks, embassy parties, and fancy dinners.
Ukraine’s Ambassador Oksana Markarova believes that despite competing news stories in the U.S., such as tensions with China, domestic politics, and mass shootings, there is still strong bipartisan support for Ukraine. She acknowledges that there are other significant events capturing media attention but feels confident in the unwavering support for her country.
However, the survey indicates that specific forms of U.S. backing for Ukraine have experienced a decline in popular support. Support for U.S. sanctions against Russia, for instance, has dropped from 71% a year ago to 58% this spring, although it still represents a majority. Analysts suggest that this decline may be due to concerns over the impact of economic isolation on inflation.
Despite this decline, the overall findings demonstrate that policymakers’ initial concerns have not materialized. Public support for Ukraine has not diminished significantly as the conflict continues, and the substantial assistance provided to Ukraine has not become a divisive issue between Democrats and Republicans.
Individuals like Cameron Hill, a 27-year-old Republican from Oklahoma, express their disapproval of Russia’s war and its leader, Vladimir Putin, citing misleading propaganda, authoritarian rule, and attacks on civilians by Russian fighters.
Cameron Hill, a Republican from Oklahoma, highlights the atrocities committed during the Ukraine war, including the killing of civilians and rape, which he believes demonstrate the lack of moral conduct by the military involved. However, he also acknowledges the courage displayed by Ukrainian fighters, as evidenced by a video showing a Ukrainian fighter’s execution and his last words expressing loyalty to Ukraine.
The survey reveals that a significant majority of U.S. adults believe that Russia has committed war crimes during the conflict, with 54% attributing war crimes solely to Russia. In March, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Putin over Russia’s mass deportation of Ukrainian children, further reinforcing this perception.
Age differences emerge in the perception of Russia’s invasion, with older adults more likely to view it as an unjustified attempt to overthrow Ukraine’s government. Among those aged 45 and older, 79% hold this view, compared to 59% among those aged 44 and younger.
The survey also shows that a majority of Americans, 62%, consider Russia an enemy or the top enemy of the United States. Additionally, 48% express significant concerns about Russia’s influence worldwide. However, it is worth noting that 50% of respondents have a favorable opinion of the Russian people, while only 8% hold a favorable view of Putin.
Public opinion on Russia and its leader has been a contentious issue in U.S. politics. For example, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis faced criticism for downplaying Ukraine’s fight against Russian forces as a mere “territorial dispute.” This remark was associated with a decline in support for DeSantis, who is considered a potential Republican presidential candidate.
When it comes to the war itself, “it’s unfortunate that it’s going on as long as it is. And I can’t imagine, you know, living there, and that would be my life everyday, with bombs going off,” said Laura Salley, 60, a college mental-health counselor in Easton, Pennsylvania, and a Democrat.
“But if we pull back, I’m pretty sure that Russia would find that as an opportunity to encroach again,” Salley said.
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The poll of 1,180 adults was conducted April 13-17 using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 3.9 percentage points.
