(CN) — A growing number of Americans support aid packages to Ukraine as the Eastern European nation continues its effort to repel Russia's invasion, according to a new survey from the Pew Research Center that also found most respondents are concerned about escalating conflict in the region.
In a survey of 5,074 adults from April 25 to May 1 published Tuesday, researchers found that a 35% plurality of respondents felt that the U.S. is providing the right amount of funding to Ukraine during the war, up from 32% in March. The share of respondents who felt that the U.S. was not providing enough support fell from 42% in March to 31% after the Biden Administration proposed an additional $33 billion in late April.
However, nearly one in four (22%) were not sure on this question, and those who indicated that the U.S. is providing too much support rose from 7% to 12% between the two surveys.
The increased support for aid to Ukraine comes as researchers also found that a majority of respondents worried about a sustained conflict in the region that could spread to neighboring countries.
Fifty-nine percent of respondents said that they were “extremely” or “very” concerned about Russia “invading other countries in the region, not just Ukraine.” Fifty-seven percent worried about a long continuance of the war in Ukraine, and 55% worried about a successful Russian occupation. Overall, half of respondents were also worried about the conflict leading to direct war between Russia and the U.S.
Some of this shift appeared to be attributed to a growing number of Republican respondents who indicated support for the Biden administration’s actions in Ukraine, which grew slightly from 21% to 26% between March and May. Strong disapproval among Republicans fell more significantly in the same period, from 42% to 27%. Democrats, on the other hand, seemed to indicate a slightly shrinking approval, from 69% in March to 63% in the latest survey.
Despite overall partisan opposition on the Biden administration’s efforts broadly, respondents from either major party indicated overwhelming support for specific Russian deterrence efforts, including sanctions, sending supplies to Ukraine and stationing ground troops in NATO countries neighboring Ukraine. Democrats were more likely to support these efforts at 80%, 76% and 71%, respectively, though Republicans followed closely behind at 73%, 68% and 60% in the same categories.
Overall, the survey portrays an American public with growing concerns for a conflict now in its third month that could potentially spill out from Ukrainian borders. Democrats have demonstrated more consistent support for the Biden administration’s efforts to combat the Russian incursion of Ukraine, but a majority of Americans, including Republicans, seem ever-more concerned with deterring the Kremlin than advocating for foreign policy changes amid the conflict.
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