Poll: Trump’s Moves on Ukraine Divided – 36% Deem Zelenskyy’s Oval Office Attack Extreme

The first major poll following the recent events surrounding the meeting between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Oval Office last Friday (February 28, 2025) reveals that American public opinion, even among fervent Republican supporters, disapproves of how the U.S. President handles the war in Ukraine. Conducted by YouGov for The Economist, the survey covers February 1 to 4 with a sample exceeding 1,600 individuals from across the political spectrum. According to the results, 45% of respondents do not approve of Trump’s handling of the Ukrainian war, while 40% support his actions. Although the difference between these two positions is not vast, the disapproval of Trump’s policy on this issue is notably higher compared to his overall popularity ratings, which remain high. Among those criticizing Trump’s approach, a significant 36% consider his methods extreme and fully oppose his recent stance at the Oval Office. Meanwhile, 21% believe Trump’s actions are moving in the right direction. Among openly declared Republican voters, 43% continue to fully support the president. The poll also includes questions about Americans’ attitudes toward both sides of the conflict in Ukraine. Only 3% support Russia, while 56% side with Ukraine. However, a considerable 31% do not support either side. Results indicate that Trump’s stance diverges from the majority of Americans who still view Russia with intense distrust, even as an adversarial force. When asked which side Trump favors in the war, 43% of Americans believe his actions promote Russian interests, while only 10% think they support Ukraine. Another 29% feel Trump does not favor either side. Similar findings were reported in a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted during the same period, revealing a decline in approval of Trump’s handling of foreign affairs. In January, 39% of Americans were satisfied with Trump’s foreign policy management; today, 50% disapprove of his actions. Within one month, the gap between approval and disapproval has widened by 13%. Additionally, the poll shows that 37% of Americans now view the war in Ukraine primarily as a Ukrainian issue, compared to 48% in January. Today, 57% of Americans support the use of American long-range weapons to strike Russian soil, up from 52% in January.