Survey: Majority Say Biden ‘Not Able’ to Handle ‘Difficult National Issues’ Like Ukraine

Most voters do not believe President Biden is capable of handling “difficult” national issues such as Russia invading Ukraine, a Harvard Harris poll found.

The survey asked, “Do you think President Biden is able to handle difficult international issues like defending Ukraine from the Russians and protecting Taiwan from China or is he not able to handle these kinds of problems?”

Overall, a majority, 54 percent, said he is “not able” to handle such issues, compared to 46 percent who said he “is able.” 

There is partisan divide in opinion, as 79 percent of Democrats are confident in Biden’s ability to handle “difficult” international issues while 83 percent of Republicans say he is “not able” to do so. Sixty percent of independents, however, also expressed the belief that he is “not able” to handle such issues.

The survey coincides with reports of ceasefire talks beginning between Ukraine and Russia at the Belarus border, less than a week into the conflict:

The Ukrainian delegation was the first to arrive for the talks with Russia , saying they were unclear whether they’ll lead to breakthrough.

The U.N. Security Council (UNSC) has also voted to hold a rare emergency special session of the General Assembly to debate the crisis engulfing Ukraine after Russia’s invasion.

Last week, Biden announced he would send additional troops to Germany and “defend every inch of NATO territory with the full force of American power.” Biden also asserted that Putin’s invasion is about reestablishing the Soviet Union. On Monday, his administration announced further sanctions against Russia’s central bank.

Overall, recent polling shows Americans giving Biden negative ratings on his handling of the crisis overseas. 

The survey was taken February 23-24, 2022, among 2,026 registered voters.