Poll: Little Support for Military Involvement with Russia and Ukraine

Americans largely do not support intervening militarily in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine and prefer diplomatic pressure or weapons support, a Convention of States/Trafalgar Group survey released Friday found.

The survey asked respondents, “What level of involvement should the U.S. have if Russia invades Ukraine?”

Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014 and has continuously occupied the Crimean peninsula, contrary to international law. Evidence strongly suggests Russia is also involved in the conflict between the Ukrainian military and “separatists” in the eastern Donbas region, though Moscow insists the conflict is a civil war. The survey appeared to be asking about a separate, future invasion of Ukraine, not the invasions currently underway.

Just short of one-third, 31.1 percent, said the U.S. should “provide supplies and military weapons,” followed by 30.5 percent who said to “provide only diplomatic area pressure.” Combined, that shows that most Americans prefer actions that do not directly involve U.S. military action.

Less than a quarter, 23.3 percent, said the U.S. should “provide U.S. military advisors,” while just 15.3 percent said the U.S. should “provide U.S. troops as boots on the ground” in such an event.

Across the board, Americans do not want boots on the ground, as that option only saw the support of 12.6 percent of Democrats, 16.4 percent of Republicans, and 18.1 percent of independents.

President Joe Biden appeared to express comfort with a further invasion of Ukraine in the future on Wednesday and has ruled out using troops to stop such action.

“He’s never seen sanctions like the ones I’ve promised will be imposed if he moves,” Biden said during a press conference this week, pledging “severe economic consequences.”

As Breitbart News detailed: 

But Biden seemed to concede that Russia might invade, and that the U.S. reaction might depend on whether it was a “minor incursion” or something more significant. He warned that Russia would suffer “consequential” casualties in fighting Ukraine, suggesting that Russia would pay a heavy internal price from a prolonged occupation of a foreign country.

President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine issued an outraged statement on Thursday in response to Biden, declaring, “there is no minor incursion.”

Russia’s Foreign Ministry also condemned Biden’s remarks as “rumors” intended to cover up alleged “provocations” by the West.

The survey, taken January 12-14, 2022, among 1,081 respondents, has a margin of error of +/- 2.98 percent.