Following the tense encounter between Trump and Ukrainian President Zelensky in the Oval Office last Friday (February 28), the American public, including some Republican supporters, has voiced disagreement with the President’s approach to the situation.

Conducted by YouGov on behalf of The Economist, the poll, carried out from March 1 to March 4, surveyed over 1,600 individuals across the political spectrum. You can find the full details of the poll and all its questions here.

Poll Results Breakdown:

According to the survey, 45% of respondents disapprove of Trump’s overall handling of the Ukraine war, while 40% approve. The gap, though not massive, shows a notable shift in American sentiment on this issue, especially as Trump’s popularity remains relatively high in other areas. Among those who criticized Trump’s approach, 36% went as far as to label his recent stance in the Oval Office as “extreme.” Only 21% strongly approve of Trump’s actions, believing they are moving in the right direction. Among self-identified Republican voters, 43% fully back Trump’s position.

America’s Alignment in the War:

In response to the question of which side Americans support in the war, only 3% say they stand with Russia, while 56% express support for Ukraine. A significant 31% state that they do not support either side. This highlights that Trump’s stance on the Ukraine war seems to contradict prevailing American beliefs, with the majority continuing to view Russia not just with skepticism, but as a direct adversary.

Poll on Trump’s Alleged Favoritism:

When asked which side Trump’s actions benefit, 43% of Americans believe that Trump’s handling of the war favors Russia, while only 10% think he is supporting Ukraine. A further 29% assert that Trump is not favoring either side in the conflict.

Similar findings have emerged from a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted during the same period. These results show a noticeable decline in Americans’ acceptance of Trump’s overall foreign policy approach. In January, 39% of Americans approved of Trump’s handling of foreign policy, but that figure has now dropped to 50%, reflecting a 13-point shift in just one month.

Shifts in American Sentiment on Ukraine:

In January, 48% of Americans believed the war in Ukraine was solely the responsibility of the Ukrainians, but now only 37% hold this view. Meanwhile, 57% of Americans now support Ukraine using U.S. long-range weapons to strike Russian territory—up from 52% last month.

This data indicates a shift in public opinion on both Trump’s stance and U.S. involvement in the conflict, further highlighting a growing divergence between Trump’s policies and the broader American public’s views on the Ukraine war.