Americans and Europeans Reject Ukraine Peace Deal

At a critical moment in the peace process, new international polling from More in Common shows strong support for Ukraine across five countries, alongside widespread rejection of the US-backed peace deal. 

Based on polling of more than 8,000 people across the US, Britain, Germany, France and Poland, the research explores how attitudes in these countries have shifted since the Oval Office feud in February, international concern about the peace process, and a desire on both sides of the Atlantic for Europe to invest in defense capabilities and become more self-reliant. 

Key Takeaways

1. Many Americans reject key elements of the US-backed peace deal.  

• Pluralities of Americans—including Republicans—believe that Ukraine never joining NATO (49%), recognizing Russian-occupied regions as Russian (44%), and reducing Ukraine’s military size (46%) would be unacceptable conditions for a peace deal. Only around one fifth of Americans find these conditions acceptable. 

• This rejection is echoed by America’s allies across the Atlantic: majorities in France, Britain and Poland, as well as a plurality of Germans, also oppose territorial concessions to Russia and limit to Ukraine’s armed forces.  

2. Most Americans sympathize with Ukraine, but few think President Trump is on Ukraine’s side.  

• 60% of Americans sympathize more with Ukraine, compared to only 4% who sympathize more with Russia, including only 6% of Republicans. 
• However, only one fifth of Americans (22%), including just over one third of Republicans (36%), think President Trump sympathizes with Ukraine more. 
• Sympathy for Ukraine, the belief that Russia is responsible and the belief that the conflict matters to America has remained broadly stable across party since March.  
• Republicans have become more likely to support sending peacekeepers to Ukraine. 

3. At the same time, Americans unite behind Trump’s call for Europe to step up their investment in defense. Americans’ strong desire for Europe to become self-reliant is shared by majorities across Europe. 

• Over 7 in 10 Americans across political parties want Europe to be fully self-reliant on defense.  
• Clear majorities across France, Germany, Poland and the UK also want greater defense investment and eventual self-reliance. 

4. Americans’ fundamental understanding of the conflict has remained stable, yet beneath the consensus, a Cold War generation gap emerges.

• Millennials (44%) are only about half as likely as Baby Boomers (81%) to hold Russia responsible for the war in Ukraine.

• 17% of Baby Boomers say Ukraine peace talks are a top issue, compared to only 7% of Millennials and 4% of Gen Z.

5. Ukraine peace negotiations rank low on Americans’ overall priority list:

• Only 10% of Americans say Ukraine peace negotiations are a top issue for the country.
• By comparison, 53% cite cost of living, 49% cite the economy, 24% citeimmigration, and 23% cite tariffs as top issues.