Skip to main content

Americans Support Ukraine "As Long As It Takes"

RESEARCH Public Opinion Survey by Dina Smeltz and Emily Sullivan
People with signs saying "Pray for Ukraine stop war" "Stand together" and "Stand with Ukraine" at a Stand With Ukraine rally at the Lincoln Memorial.
Reuters

Survey results show the public remains supportive of US assistance to Ukraine—even if it means paying higher gas and food prices at home.

The United States has committed more than $9 billion of military assistance to the Ukrainian war effort since the February 24 Russian invasion, an unprecedented amount compared to other US military aid campaigns in the last 30 years. Despite the high price tag associated with this assistance, a just-completed Chicago Council Survey shows that the American public remains supportive of US economic assistance and military transfers to Ukraine. In fact, a majority are willing to continue to support the country “as long as it takes.” At the same time, Americans are just as reluctant now as they were in March to send US soldiers to the war zone.  

Key Findings on American Support for Ukraine

  • Majorities continue to support US economic and diplomatic sanctions against Russia (80%), accepting Ukrainian refugees into the United States (76%), providing additional arms and military supplies to the Ukrainian government (72%), and giving economic assistance to Ukraine (71%).
  • Nearly four in 10 support sending US troops to defend Ukraine (38%).
  • By a six-to-four ratio, Americans say the United States should support Ukraine for as long as it takes, even if American households will have to pay higher gas and food prices in consequence. However, there are significant partisan differences.
  • Nearly two-thirds think the invasion sets a precedent that other countries can launch wars for territorial gain (64%).
  • An even larger majority believes the Russian invasion will encourage China to invade Taiwan (76%).

Explore the full report

About the Authors
Senior Fellow, Public Opinion and Foreign Policy
Headshot for Dina Smeltz
Dina Smeltz, a polling expert, has more than 25 years of experience designing and fielding international social and political surveys. Prior to joining the Council to lead its annual survey of American attitudes on US foreign policy, she served in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research at the US State Department's Office of Research from 1992 to 2008.
Headshot for Dina Smeltz
Emily Sullivan
Former Research Assistant, Public Opinion and Foreign Policy
Headshot for Emily Sullivan
Emily Sullivan joined the Chicago Council on Global Affairs in 2021 and was a research assistant on the Public Opinion team.
Headshot for Emily Sullivan

Methodology

This analysis is based on data from the 2022 Chicago Council Survey of the American public on foreign policy, a project of the Lester Crown Center on US Foreign Policy. The 2022 Chicago Council Survey was conducted July 15–August 1, 2022, by Ipsos using its large-scale nationwide online research panel, KnowledgePanel, in both English and Spanish among a weighted national sample of 3,106 adults 18 or older living in all 50 US states and the District of Columbia. The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 1.8 percentage points. The margin of error is higher for partisan subgroups or for partial-sample items.

Partisan identification is based on how respondents answered a standard partisan self-identification question: “Generally speaking, do you think of yourself as a Republican, a Democrat, an Independent, or what?”

The 2022 Chicago Council Survey is made possible by the generous support of the Crown family and the Korea Foundation.

Other data in this report is based on results of a survey conducted March 25–28, 2022, also conducted by Ipsos using the, among a weighted national sample of 1,016 adults, 18 or older, living in all 50 US states and the District of Columbia. The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 3.0 percentage points and is higher for subgroups or partial-sample items. This survey was made possible by the support of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Related Content