Americans Rally Behind U.S. Arms Support for Ukraine
According to a fresh Reuters/Ipsos poll taken on Tuesday, a whopping 73 % of U.S. adults back the American effort to send weapons to Ukraine. That’s the highest level of support we’ve seen since Russia launched its full‑scale invasion in February.
Why the spike? The poll was rolled out just as Washington and its allies beef up plans to deliver heavy artillery and other armaments to Kyiv. At the same time, a senior Russian official warned the West not to miss the looming risk of a nuclear showdown. The combination of increased support for sanctions and a sense of looming conflict seems to have swayed public opinion.
Historical Context
Back in March, before the world reacted to the tragic killings of civilians north of Kiev, a previous Reuters/Ipsos poll recorded that 68 % of respondents were in favor of shipping arms to Ukraine. The new data shows an even stronger backing.
Political Symmetry
- Democrats and Republicans both give a solid majority to U.S. sanctions on Russia, and they’d like to see candidates for the upcoming Nov. 8 midterm elections who support military aid for Ukraine.
- Roughly half of Americans—six in ten Democrats and nearly half of Republicans—wonder whether Russia might try to meddle in the congressional elections through misinformation and online propaganda. It’s a real concern that’s gripping voters south of the border.
Biden’s Performance on the Crisis vs. Other Issues
With the war entering its third month, Americans seem to rate President Joe Biden’s handling of the Ukraine crisis higher than his performance on the economy or soaring energy prices. This promising trend comes at a time when his party could be looking to swing the Senate in November.
- Approval on Ukraine stands at 46 %—70 % for Democrats and 24 % for Republicans.
- His approval rating on the economy is down at 37 %.
- Gas and fuel prices, partially driven by concerns about Russia’s oil exports, see even lower approval: 32 %.
Overall Presidential Approval
A separate Reuters/Ipsos poll also found that only 42 % of Americans approve of Biden’s overall job as president—near the lowest point of his presidency.
Both surveys were conducted online across the United States, each gathering responses from 1,005 adults. The reported percentages come with a confidence interval of about four percentage points.
