(Image Credit: IMAGN) Ethan Robbins, of Mashpee, carries an I stand with Ukraine flag at Tuesday's event. March 4th Against the Coup Creep was held at the Hyannis Rotary Tuesday afternoon. The event, organized by Cape Cod Women for Change and Indivisible Upper Cape, was held to stand in solidarity to defend democracy. Photo taken March 4, 2025
United States – A new NBC News poll reveals a striking divide in American opinion regarding the war between Ukraine and Russia, with a significant majority of U.S. voters expressing support for Ukraine. However, the same survey also highlights a stark contrast in perceptions of former President Donald Trump’s sympathies, with nearly half of voters believing he favors Russia.
Sixty-one percent of registered voters report that their sympathies lie more with Ukraine, compared to just 2% who say they favor Russia. Another 35% of respondents claim to be more sympathetic to neither side, while 2% remain unsure. When asked about Trump’s leanings, 49% of voters think he favors Russia, while 40% believe he does not take sides, and 8% think he favors Ukraine.
Trump has publicly stated that he seeks to remain neutral, suggesting in February, “If I didn’t align myself with both of them, you’d never have a deal.” Democratic pollster Jeff Horwitt noted that this disconnect between public opinion and perceptions of the president’s stance is unprecedented in American history. Horwitt, alongside GOP pollster Bill McInturff, conducted the survey.
Democratic voters overwhelmingly sympathize with Ukraine, with 88% expressing support for the country, while independents also lean toward Ukraine, at 59%. Across various demographic groups—gender, age, and race—there is broad support for Ukraine, though Hispanic voters are more evenly divided between Ukraine and “neither side.”
The division becomes clearer along political lines, as Republicans and conservative-leaning voters tend to express more ambivalence, with 57% of Republicans saying they favor neither side. Among Republicans, there is also a notable education-based split: 53% of college-educated Republicans support Ukraine, while 62% of those without a college degree align with “neither side.”
Regarding Trump’s stance on the war, majorities of Democrats, independents, suburban women, and voters of color believe Trump is more sympathetic to Russia. Conversely, 70% of Republicans maintain that Trump is neutral, with 14% believing he favors Russia and 13% believing he favors Ukraine.
Trump’s foreign policy on the Russia-Ukraine war has been a contentious issue throughout his second presidential term. Although he promised to end the war quickly during his campaign, the situation has proven more complex, with recent tensions highlighted by a heated Oval Office confrontation between Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The poll also reveals a growing trend in U.S. foreign policy preferences. A majority of Americans, 51%, believe the U.S. should focus more on domestic issues, with only 43% thinking America hasn’t been strong enough on the world stage. This sentiment has been increasingly embraced by Republicans, shifting their views on foreign policy, particularly in regard to NATO.
