More Republicans than Democrats would stay and fight if what happened in Ukraine occurred in US: poll
March 23, 2022Overall, a majority of Americans would not flee if they were in the position Ukrainians are in now
If Americans were in the same position as Ukrainians right now, more Republicans than Democrats would stay and fight, according to a poll released Monday.
Of the Republicans surveyed in the Quinnipiac University Poll, 68% said they would stay and fight compared to 40% of Democrats. Among Democrats, 52% said they would flee the country, compared to 25% of Republicans.
While the hypothetical question was polarizing between parties, the majority of Americans (55%) would still stay and fight if they were in the same position as the Ukrainians are now. Only 38% of those surveyed said they would leave the country.
People protest the Russian invasion of Ukraine during a rally outside of the White House, Sunday, March 6, 2022. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
“When confronted with a terrible hypothetical that would put them in the shoes of the Ukrainians, Americans say they would stand and fight rather than seek safety in another country,” said Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Tim Malloy.
According to the poll, 66% of Republicans and 91% of Democrats said they supported accepting Ukrainian refugees into the U.S.
At least 1.7 million refugees have fled Ukraine since the start of the Russian offensive nearly two weeks ago, according to data from the UN refugee agency, UNHCR.
A Ukrainian volunteer Oleksandr Osetynskyi, 44 holds a Ukrainian flag and directs refugees after fleeing from Ukraine and arriving at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland, Monday, March 7, 2022. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu)
According to the poll, 60% of Americans also believe Russian President Vladimir Putin is mentally unstable and willing to use nuclear weapons against NATO countries.
When asked if Putin’s actions against Ukraine were comparable to Adolph Hitler’s actions against Austria and Czechoslovakia before the outbreak of World War II, half of Americans surveyed agreed.
If Putin decides to go beyond Ukraine and attack a NATO country, 79% approved a U.S. military response, including 82% of Republicans and 88% of Democrats.
According to the poll, 83% of Republicans and 91% of Democrats don’t believe the Russian people have a say in what Putin and his government choose to do. Of those surveyed, 74% also feel that the Russian people don’t have a full understanding of what is happening in Ukraine.
“Russians are largely in the dark about and unable to halt the destruction being wrought by Putin, say Americans who see the Russian leader as mentally unstable. And half of Americans liken Putin to modern history’s darkest villain, Adolf Hitler,” added Malloy.
Nearly half of Americans (49%) also say the attack on Ukraine has contributed to them feeling anxious, according to the poll.
A woman feeds her daughter after fleeing Ukraine and arriving at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland, Monday, March 7, 2022. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu)
When asked how long they expect the war in Ukraine to last, 19% of those surveyed believe it will be over in weeks, 44% feel it will end in months, and 23% believe it will last years.
The Quinnipiac University Poll surveyed 1,374 U.S. adults nationwide from March 4-6, with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.6 percentage points.