The polls this week show doubt among voters, as Trump looks to close a deal with Russia to end the war
A majority of Americans disapprove of how President Donald Trump is engaging with Russia and Ukraine to end the war between the two countries, according to two new polls released this week.
Trump has cast himself as the central figure in brokering a peace in the yearslong war that Russia started. Trump has been hot and cold on the Ukrainian leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, since entering office, and has also repeatedly thrown blame on Ukraine for the war. He has also sought to normalize relations with the Kremlin — while occasionally threatening devastating economic sanctions — and has repeatedly touted his close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
A new poll from CNN released Friday found 59 percent of Americans said it’s not too likely, or not at all likely, that Trump’s approach will bring long-term peace to Ukraine, with 41 percent saying it’s at least somewhat likely. Another 59 percent disapprove of Trump’s handling of the U.S.’ relationship with Russia — and 55 percent disapprove of how he’s handled “the situation” in Ukraine.
Half of the Americans polled said Trump’s approach to the war is bad for the U.S., with 29 percent saying it’s good for the country, and the balance said it didn’t make a difference.
This breaks down along partisan lines, with 77 percent of Democrats and 55 percent of independents saying Trump’s approach is bad for the country, while 61 percent of Republicans said it is good.
Quinnipiac’s polling released Thursday paints a similar picture. Asking voters about the Oval Office blowout between Trump and Zelenskyy, 58 percent of voters disapproved of how Trump handled it, while 35 percent approved. By party lines, 95 percent of Democrats disapproved, where 77 percent of Republicans approved — but 68 percent of independents disapproved.
Trump has previously criticized Zelenskyy as a “dictator without elections” and has cast doubt on the wartime leader’s popularity. Quinnipiac found that of the U.S. voters they surveyed, 43 percent have a favorable opinion of Zelenskyy, while 33 have an unfavorable opinion and 22 percent didn’t report an opinion.
CNN’s poll was conducted from March 6 to March 9 by independent research company SSRS, with 1,206 adults and a margin of error of plus or minus 3.3 percentage points. Quinnipiac surveyed 1,198 self-identified registered voters from March 6 to March 10 with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.8 percentage points.
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