US Public Opinion in a Time of War
Takeaways from the 2022 Chicago Council Survey
While Americans are geographically removed from the battlefields in Ukraine, the 2022 Chicago Council Survey finds the war has made an impact in how they view the world. Our annual report digs deeper into US public opinion on the conflict and its effects on other significant foreign policy issues facing the country today.
Some key findings:
- Across the political spectrum, Americans agree Europe is now the most important region for US security (50%), and they support expanding NATO and defending member countries.
- Despite the high price tag associated with US assistance to Ukraine, more than half (58%) say we should support Kyiv for “as long as it takes.”
- Nearly two-thirds (64%) think it’s likely other countries like China will emulate Russia and make land grabs by force elsewhere.
Read the full survey report here.
The Data Dimension
While Americans remain committed to supporting Ukraine, only 15 percent say protecting democratic values and ideals in the world should be the top priority when crafting US foreign policy. Instead, our 2022 survey finds the public is more concerned with our own national security and furthering the country’s economic interests.
What We're Watching
- US-China relations: As Xi Jinping enters his third term, American opinion of China has never been worse, Craig Kafura notes.
- Nuclear threats: Carnegie’s Ankit Panda joins Deep Dish to discuss recent saber-rattling by Russia and North Korea and whether the “nuclear taboo” could be broken.
- The war in Ethiopia: Elizabeth Shackelford finds that despite a much higher death toll, the conflict has received little attention compared to the war in Ukraine.
- Germany’s identity crisis: “Berlin has an opportunity to do what it should have done long ago: become a true leader of Europe,” Council President Ivo Daalder argues.
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