A new Pew Research Center survey reveals a growing partisan divide in how Americans view Russia, the war in Ukraine, and the U.S. role in NATO, with Republicans showing significant shifts away from previously held positions.
While half of Americans still consider Russia an enemy of the United States, that figure is down from 61% last year. The drop is most pronounced among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, just 40% of whom now view Russia as an enemy—a steep decline from 58% in 2024 and 69% at the height of the war in 2022.
Fewer Republicans also believe the U.S. has a responsibility to help Ukraine defend itself. Only 23% now say the U.S. should assist Ukraine, compared to two-thirds of Democrats who hold that view. This marks a 13-point drop in Republican support since November. By contrast, Democratic opinion on Ukraine has remained stable.
These partisan shifts have contributed to a broader erosion in public concern about the war’s regional implications. While 66% of Democrats remain very concerned about a broader Russian invasion, only 29% of Republicans share that concern—a 13-point drop since July.
Confidence in Russian President Vladimir Putin remains low overall, with only 12% of Americans expressing some or great confidence in his leadership. However, Republicans have grown less critical: 43% now say they have no confidence at all in Putin, down from 61% in 2024. Among Democrats, that figure remains steady at 72%.
Views of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also reflect stark partisan differences. Seventy percent of Democrats express confidence in Zelenskyy, compared to just 30% of Republicans. The overall confidence level in the Ukrainian leader stands at 49%, unchanged from last year.
Support for NATO also divides along party lines. While 77% of Democrats view the alliance favorably, only 45% of Republicans do. Similarly, 83% of Democrats believe the U.S. benefits from NATO membership, versus 49% of Republicans.
The survey, conducted March 24–30 among 3,605 U.S. adults, highlights deepening polarization over foreign policy, with Republicans becoming increasingly skeptical of traditional U.S. alliances and military commitments abroad. As Pew notes, this marks the first time since before Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine that more Republicans see Russia as a competitor or partner rather than an outright enemy.
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