A majority of Americans think Vladimir Putin wouldn't have invaded Ukraine if Donald Trump was still president of the US.
On Thursday, February 24, the Russian president sent troops across the border, marking the start of the invasion of Ukraine.
However, a new survey, conducted for the Harvard Center for American Political Studies (CAPS)-Harris, and released on Friday, February 25, has revealed more than half of members of the public in the US think the invasion wouldn't have gone ahead had Trump still been president.
The poll consisted of 2,026 registered voters, and took place between February 23 and 24, The Hill reports.
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A total of 62% of those who took the poll think that Putin wouldn't have decided to invade Ukraine had Trump been president. It was discovered that the result was made up of 38% Democrats and 85% of Republicans.
Although 38% stated that no matter who was president of the US, Putin would have invaded either way.
59% of voters expressed the belief that a weakness was spotted in Joe Biden, which encouraged Putin to send troops across the border. However, 41% disagreed.
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At 5.30pm GMT on the first day of the invasion, Biden held a public address following a meeting with leaders of the G7.
Calling Putin an 'aggressor', Biden said the invasion was 'unfolding largely as [the US] predicted'.
Biden revealed a series of sanctions that have since been enforced on Russia, which were created 'to maximise the long term impact' on the country and 'to minimise the impact on the United States and our allies.'
From cutting off Russia's largest bank and 'four more major banks,' the US has also been 'adding names to the list of Russian elites and their family members that [it is] sanctioning as well'.
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If you would like to donate to the Red Cross Emergency Appeal, which will help provide food, medicines and basic medical supplies, shelter and water to those in Ukraine, click here for more information
Topics: Russia, Ukraine, Vladimir Putin, Joe Biden, Donald Trump
Poppy Bilderbeck