Poll: Americans want tougher sanctions on Russia over Ukraine invasion
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President Biden speaking in Warsaw, Poland, on March 26. Photo: Omar Marques/Getty Images
A majority of Americans believe President Biden has not been "tough enough" on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine but are concerned about the U.S. being drawn into an all-out war with Russia, according to a poll published on Monday by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
Why it matters: The results indicate that those polled believe the U.S. should continue sending humanitarian and military aid to Ukraine while increasing sanctions on Russia, even at the risk of damaging the U.S. economy.
By the numbers: 56% of the 1,082 American adults polled said Biden's response to the invasion has not been tough enough, while 55% said they believed the U.S. should sanction Russia "as effectively as possible," even if it hurts the U.S. economy.
- 68% approved of the sanctions that the U.S. has imposed so far.
- At the same time, 47% said they are either "extremely" or "very" concerned that the U.S. will be drawn into a war with Russia, and 71% believed Russia's invasion has increased the possibility of nuclear weapons being used anywhere in the world.
- 82% favored sending humanitarian aid to Ukraine, and 64% favored sending weapons to the country. Meanwhile, 67% said they thought the U.S. should accept Ukrainian refugees into the country.
Yes, but: 65% disproved Biden's handling of the economy, which was described by 69% as either "very," "somewhat" or "lean toward" poor.
- But, but, but: 63% described the financial situation of their household as either "very," "somewhat" or "lean toward" good.
The big picture: Biden's approval rating hit a new low in a NBC News Poll published Sunday, with only 40% of those surveyed approving of his performance.
- In that poll, 63% disapproved of the president's handling of the economy, and 51% disapproved of his management of foreign policy.
Methodology: The AP-NORC Center poll was conducted between March 17-21 and based on a nationally representative sample of 1,082 adults — 1,015 of whom were reached by the web — and with an overall margin of error of plus-minus 4%.
