**Majority of Americans Believe Putin is Stalling on Ukraine Peace Talks, Back Sanctions if Russia Refuses to Negotiate**
A recent Harvard CAPS Harris poll has revealed that over 60% of Americans believe Russian President Vladimir Putin is “stalling” peace talks involving the United States. The poll, released on May 19, also showed that two-thirds of respondents think Putin is “playing games and stalling” in negotiations with the US.
The survey found that only 34% of respondents believed Putin genuinely wants to end the war in Ukraine, while 62% thought Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wanted to end the conflict. This suggests a significant gap between public perception of Russia’s intentions and its actual actions.
**Backing Further Sanctions and Military Aid**
The poll also showed that 62% of respondents support continued military aid and further economic sanctions on Russia if it refuses to negotiate a peace deal with Ukraine. Only 38% were against additional weaponry and sanctions, highlighting the strong public backing for tougher action against Russia.
**Trump’s Phone Call with Putin Falls Flat**
Just days before the poll was conducted, US President Donald Trump had a two-hour phone call with Putin on May 19. However, despite Trump’s efforts to broker a peace deal, Putin failed to agree to a ceasefire, instead offering to negotiate a “memorandum regarding a potential future peace treaty” with Ukraine.
Trump’s post-call comments that he would not impose further sanctions against Russia because of the possibility of progress towards a ceasefire have been met with skepticism by many. The poll found that 59% of respondents believe Trump is “not tough enough” when dealing with Putin, while only 31% thought his approach was “about right”.
**Public Doubts Trump’s Ability to End the War**
The survey also revealed public doubts about Trump’s ability to successfully negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine. While 42% of respondents believed Trump would help end the war, a majority (58%) thought he would not solve the conflict.
As the situation on the ground continues to deteriorate, it remains to be seen whether Trump will follow through on his threats to abandon peace talks if progress is not made. The poll’s findings suggest that many Americans are skeptical of Russia’s intentions and doubt Trump’s ability to bring about a peaceful resolution.
**Sources**
The Harvard CAPS Harris poll was conducted online within the United States, surveying 1,903 registered voters. The poll is deemed accurate +/- 2.2 percentage point, 19 times out of 20.
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