Americans’ Support for Ukraine Only Rising as Trump Falls further into Putin’s Grip
Americans continue to show growing support for Ukraine, even as Donald Trump drifts further into alignment with the Kremlin. A new in-depth national survey, conducted May 22–25, 2025, by the Peace Through Strength Institute, reveals that U.S. voters overwhelmingly back continued assistance to Kyiv—and reject Trump’s attempts to pressure Ukraine into territorial concessions.
Key findings from the poll:
- 74% believe the war in Ukraine should remain a U.S. foreign policy priority
- 76% say U.S. military aid to Ukraine is justified
- 58% want Trump to increase military support for Ukraine to deter Russia
- Only 29% support pressuring Ukraine to give up territory
- 84% back sanctions on Russia’s natural resource exports
These figures suggest that American public opinion has not only held steady—it is rebounding toward record levels of support seen in the early days of Russia’s full-scale invasion. The poll comes just months after Trump clashed with President Zelensky in a high-profile Oval Office meeting, where he proposed a ceasefire along existing front lines. Zelensky reportedly pushed back, warning that any pause without meaningful guarantees would give Russia time to regroup.
Although Trump temporarily suspended arms shipments to Ukraine earlier this year, he agreed to resume them only after proposing a 30-day ceasefire. His public statements since—questioning U.S. commitments to NATO, labeling Zelensky a “dictator,” and floating the idea of halting aid altogether—have reinforced concerns about his foreign policy alignment. Yet none of this appears to have swayed the broader American public.
Instead, voters remain sharply opposed to Russian land grabs. Only 24% believe the U.S. should recognize Russia’s control of Crimea, while 65% oppose any recognition of Russian territorial claims. Eighty-two percent agree that allowing such aggression to succeed sets a dangerous global precedent. Support for new sanctions on Russia’s oil, gas, and mineral exports stands at an overwhelming 84%.
Even among Republican voters, the divide is widening. While a growing number favor ceasefire negotiations, the overall electorate is moving in the opposite direction—toward sustained military support, economic pressure on Moscow, and full backing for Ukrainian sovereignty. This puts Trump increasingly out of step with mainstream sentiment, despite his influence over the Republican Party.
The broader trend is confirmed by other polling. Gallup recently reported that 46% of Americans feel the U.S. isn’t doing enough to help Ukraine—the highest figure since the start of the war. A separate AP–NORC survey found that most Americans continue to see Russia as a threat to U.S. national security and support continued engagement in Europe.
In sum, while Trump attempts to reshape U.S. foreign policy in Putin’s image, the American public has not followed him. On Ukraine, voters remain clear: support should continue, sanctions should intensify, and any negotiated settlement must not reward Russian aggression.
