- Americans are paying less attention to the invasion of Ukraine, and it is now a lower policy priority for them than the economy and inflation.
- Biden’s approval ratings and the perception he is making the right decisions on Ukraine have both improved as a wide range of actions taken by the United States remain popular.
- Nearly three in four Americans agree that Putin can no longer remain in power, and pluralities across party lines agree with Biden’s comment saying as much.
The Share of Americans Paying Close Attention to the Russian Invasion of Ukraine Is in Decline
There has been an 11-point decline in the share of Americans who say they are “closely” following the invasion since early March, including an 8-point decline among Democrats, an 11-point decline among independents, and a 15-point decline among Republicans.
Only a Third Are Hearing “A Lot” About Russian-Ukrainian Peace Talks; Even Fewer Hearing About Low Unemployment
As the share following the situation in Ukraine closely declines, less than a third of Americans say they have heard “a lot” about the ongoing peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, including just 19% of independents.
Jobs & the Economy and Inflation Have Returned as More Important Priorities for Biden and Congress than National Security
The share who say they want President Biden and Congress to focus on “national security and foreign policy, including the situation in Ukraine” has dropped 7 points since mid-March from 48% to 41%, as the share who say they are focusing on it has dropped to 43%.
There Has Been an Uptick in Approval of Biden’s Handling of Ukraine as Most Say He Is Making Right Decisions
The share who approve of the job Biden is doing handling Ukraine has improved a net 6 points (from net -10 to -4), and the share who say he has made the right decisions has also increased by 6 points since mid-March (from net +10 to +16).
Americans Remain Supportive of Economic Sanctions
Bipartisan majorities continue to support the U.S. imposing sanctions on Russia (including 84% of Democrats, 57% of independents, and 69% of Republicans).
Americans Support the U.S. Accepting Ukrainian Refugees and Colleges Financially Helping Students Impacted
Bipartisan pluralities support both the United States taking in up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees and American universities providing financial support to impacted students.
Three in Four Agree Putin “Cannot Remain in Power”
While nearly three in four Americans support a statement that Putin can no longer remain in power (72%), support remains high even when noting it was a comment made by President Biden (67%).
About The Study
This release features findings from national online surveys of 998 registered voters conducted March 31 - April 4, 2022. Additional interviews were conducted among 100 Hispanic voters, 100 African American voters, 100 independents without a partisan lean, and 74 Asian American and Pacific Islander voters.