Over the past 10 months, the American public has become more supportive of sending lethal weapons to the Ukrainian government, with 41 percent now in favor compared to 30 percent in April 2014.
However, the Pew Research Center survey found that the majority of Americans still oppose sending weapons and supplies to help Ukraine in its fight against pro-Russian separatists. Fifty-three percent of respondents said they oppose the idea, down from 62 percent in April.
A number of Republican and Democratic lawmakers have strongly urged President Obama to send lethal aid, and both Secretary of State John Kerry and newly appointed Defense Secretary Ashton Carter have indicated support, but the president is still mulling over a move that could escalate tensions between the U.S. and Russia to an all-time high.
Fifty-one percent of Republican poll respondents support sending weapons to Ukraine, while 45 percent are opposed. As for Democrats, 40 percent favor and 55 percent oppose. Only 38 percent of independents favor sending weapons, while 56 percent oppose.
The poll of 1,504 adults found that support for additional economic and diplomatic sanctions against Russia has also increased. Six-in-ten respondents said they favor increasing sanctions, marking a seven point rise in support since last April, while only 34 percent opposed.
When it comes to additional sanctions, the partisan divide quickly fades, with about equal percentages of Republicans (64 percent), Democrats (62 percent) and independents (60 percent) supporting more sanctions.
Kerry said Saturday that the U.S. is considering implementing a new round of sanctions against Russia due to its continued "land-grabbing" in eastern Ukraine despite a cease-fire deal, reported The Washington Post. British Prime Minister David Cameron echoed similar sentiments on Monday, saying any attempt by pro-Russian separatists to further expand their territory would be met with additional sanctions, Reuters reported.
On Tuesday, Kerry voiced frustration that he had been repeatedly lied to by Russian officials about their alleged involvement in eastern Ukraine.
"Russia is engaged in a rather remarkable period of the most overt and extensive propaganda exercise that I've seen since the very height of the Cold War," Kerry told a Senate Appropriations subcommittee, reported The Associated Press. "And they have been persisting in their misrepresentations - lies - whatever you want to call them about their activities there to my face, to the face of others on many different occasions."
Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly denied arming rebels fighting against Ukrainian forces in eastern Ukraine.
When it comes to Putin himself, Pew found that a large majority of Americans - 70 percent - hold an unfavorable view, compared to just 12 percent who view him favorably, and 18 percent who offered no opinion.
The poll was conducted Feb. 18-22 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.9 percentage points.
