Anticipated Surveys Regarding the Trump-Putin Encounter Scheduled for This Friday
In the forthcoming meeting between President Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, public opinion in the United States is deeply polarized. According to recent polls, 42% of Americans approve of Trump's approach to the Russia-Ukraine war, while 56% disapprove[1].
Trump's meeting with Putin to discuss a potential peace deal, which may involve Ukraine ceding territory to Russia, has been a contentious issue. The public remains skeptical: a majority of Americans (59%) lack confidence in Trump’s ability to make wise decisions about the war, including many Republicans, whose confidence has decreased from 81% in mid-2024 to 73% today[5].
The Fox News poll shows that a majority of voters (58-35%) believe Putin has the upper hand in the situation in Ukraine[2]. However, this perception has shifted in recent months, with a majority of Americans saying the US should be doing more to support Ukraine in July, a change from their views in October[3].
The numbers among all Americans show an increasing appetite for standing by Ukraine. A Fox News poll last month showed 38% of voters saying the US "should be doing more" to help Ukraine, the highest that number has ever been[4]. This shift is also reflected in the Chicago Council on Global Affairs poll, which shows a rise in Republicans favoring to send Ukraine additional arms and military supplies, from 30% in March to 51% today[1].
Despite this shift, partisan divides over U.S. policy toward Ukraine and Russia remain significant but have shown slight narrowing recently[3]. The Pew Research Center poll shows just 30% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents saying the United States is doing "too much" to support Ukraine, a significant drop from 47% in February[2].
However, the MAGA movement's ethos is that Trump always has some secret, genius plan in the works, but many Republicans don't seem to see it in the context of the war in Ukraine. It is rare to see a significant number of Republicans concede that Trump is effectively being outmaneuvered by Putin[6].
The numbers among religious and ethnic groups also show varying support, with white evangelical Protestants and white Catholics more likely to approve of Trump’s handling, while Black Protestants and many religious minorities are less supportive[1].
In sum, Trump enjoys strong backing from his Republican base for his Ukraine policies and meeting with Putin, while most Democrats and a majority of Americans overall disapprove and doubt his judgment on this issue[1][5]. The situation remains politically polarized amid ongoing uncertainty about the conflict’s outcome and U.S. foreign policy direction.
[1] Chicago Council on Global Affairs poll (July 2025) [2] Pew Research Center poll (August 2025) [3] Fox News poll (July 2025) [4] Fox News poll (August 2025) [5] Gallup poll (August 2025) [6] Unnamed source (August 2025)
In the course of the upcoming meeting between President Trump and Vladimir Putin, discussions on politics, war-and-conflicts, and policy-and-legislation regarding Russia-Ukraine war are highly pertinent. The public's skepticism towards Trump's decisions in this matter is evident, with a majority (59%) of Americans expressing a lack of confidence in him[5]. General news coverage further highlights this polarized landscape, with varying opinions on the U.S. approach to the conflict and support for Ukraine.
