Poll finds strong support for sanctions on Russia, support for Ukraine

The overwhelming majority of Americans in a new poll said they support Ukraine as well as increased sanctions against Russia. 

The poll from The Washington Post and ABC News showed that 76 percent of Americans said the U.S. should provide more humanitarian aid to Ukraine. Sixty-seven percent said the U.S. should increase economic sanctions on Russia beyond those already in place.

Still, most Americans, or 72 percent, opposed the U.S. taking direct military action against Moscow in Ukraine. Of the 21 percent who said the U.S. should take direct military action, 71 percent said that should still be the case even if it risked a nuclear war. 

The poll was conducted between April 24 and April 28, and included 1,004 adults. It has a margin of sampling error of 3.5 percent. 

It comes after President Biden last week asked Congress for $33 billion in funding for security, economic and humanitarian assistance aid for Ukraine. That package is expected to receive bipartisan support.

“The cost of this fight, it’s not cheap. But caving to aggression is going to be more costly if we allow it to happen,” Biden said on Thursday.

That proposal would also include a provision to allow the U.S. to seize and sell Russian oligarchs’ assets, then send the proceeds to Ukraine.

“Ukraine needs all the help it can get and, at the same time, we need all the assets we can put together to give Ukraine the aid it needs,” Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) said on Sunday.

Since Moscow launched its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, more than 5 million people have fled the country.