Although broad support for American sanctions has not wavered, The Associated Press -NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, the balance has shifted regarding the priority of sanctions over the economy.
According to the poll, 45% of American adults think it is more important to sanction Russia as efficiently as possible, while slightly more - 51% - think limiting the damage to the American economy should be the priority.
In April, these figures were exactly reversed. In March, shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine, a clear majority—55 percent—said that more effective sanctions against Russia should be a higher priority.
The shifts in opinion reflect how much rising prices are weighing on American households — rising prices for gasoline, food and other goods have strained the budgets of millions of people — and limit willingness to provide financial support to Ukraine. That could be a worrying sign for President Joe Biden, who on Saturday approved an additional $40 billion in aid to Ukraine, including weapons and financial aid.
" We're killing ourselves, " said Jeanette Ellis-Carter, a retired accountant who lives with her husband in Cincinnati, Ohio.
„We can help others, but while helping others, we must know how to help ourselves. And we don't do that ”
- emphasized the American citizen.
Ellis-Carter, 70, noted that annual inflation of more than 8 percent would negate any adjustment in living standards for retirees, especially due to the rising costs of health care and food. The retiree continues to do accounting work, but has lost small business clients who can no longer afford to hire him.
According to the survey, a large majority of American adults still support the imposition of sanctions against Russia, a ban on oil imports from Russia and the provision of arms to Ukraine. And most American adults still believe that the United States should play a role in the war between Russia and Ukraine: 32 percent say the United States should play a major role in the conflict, while 49 percent say it should strive for a smaller role.
44 percent of Americans say they support sending money to Ukraine, while 32 percent oppose it and 23 percent neither support nor oppose it.
According to the new poll, only 21 percent of Americans say they have "a lot of confidence" in Biden's ability to handle the situation in Ukraine; 39 percent have some trust and 39 percent hardly trust him.
" Sometimes we get involved in things we shouldn't and it just makes things worse, " said Angelica Christensen, a 33-year-old woman from Ithaca, New York. He then added that " now we have to focus on building our economy ".
The United States and its European allies have imposed multiple rounds of sanctions against Russia, blocking major banks from global transactions and directly targeting Russian President Vladimir Putin, top leaders and their families.
The United States also banned the import of Russian oil
Although Russian oil makes up only a small portion of America's total energy imports, the ban comes as gasoline prices have soared in recent months to $4.71 a gallon, up $1.61 from a year ago. Supply chain problems and increased demand due to the easing of restrictions caused by the coronavirus epidemic contributed to the increase in prices. Biden and several Democratic representatives have blamed gas companies for the price hike, while Republicans say the White House should support increased domestic oil and natural gas drilling.
Overall, 45 percent of Americans approve of Biden's handling of the U.S.-Russia relationship, while 54 percent disapprove. This ratio has remained unchanged every month since the start of the conflict.
Source: hirado.hu
Cover image: Illustration / MTI Photo: Attila Balázs
