86 percent blame Putin for Russia-Ukraine war: Survey

Nearly all Americans blame the Kremlin’s leader Vladimir Putin for the Russia-Ukraine war rather than Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, according to a survey released Thursday. 

The new Chicago Council on Global Affairs-Ipsos poll found that 86 percent of American respondents blamed Putin for the three-year conflict in eastern Europe. Roughly a third placed the blame on Zelensky. 

More than half of U.S. adults, 55 percent, were supportive of the country providing economic assistance to Ukraine while another 52 percent were on board for Washington to continue supplying arms and military supplies to Kyiv, according to the survey. 

Some 53 percent of respondents said President Trump favors Russia over Ukraine. An NBC News poll, released earlier this week, found that nearly half of Americans believe the president sympathizes with Russia over Ukraine in the conflict. Only 8 percent said they think Trump is on Ukraine’s side. 

Most U.S. voters, 69 percent, across the political spectrum said they think the peace negotiations, which Trump has been spearheading with both sides since taking office, should include the U.S., Russia, Ukraine and the European Union, the Thursday poll found. 

Nearly 6 in 10 voters, 58 percent, opposed the prospect of Russia keeping all of Ukraine’s territory it has conquered in the conflict. Russia currently occupies some 20 percent of Ukraine’s territory. 

A large majority of Americans, 76 percent, said they have faith that Ukraine would respect the peace agreement parameters if it ends up being signed, according to the survey. Only 20 percent of Americans thought the same about Russia. 

Although nearly 6 in 10 voters, 58 percent, said they thought the U.S. and the EU are equally obligated to assist Ukraine against Russia's three-year invasion, the latest figure has dipped by 10 points since 2023, the pollster found. 

A Gallup poll released Tuesday found that more Americans, 46 percent, said they believe the U.S. is not doing enough to assist Kyiv, representing a 16-point uptick from December last year and closely mirroring the numbers from the summer of 2022.

Thursday's survey was conducted March 14-16 with 1,021 Americans. The margin of error was 3.2 percentage points.