As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues, New Jerseyans see a role for the United States but are divided on whether the United States should send more of its own troops to Eastern Europe to further discourage Russia, according to a new Rutgers-Eagleton poll.

Thirty-six percent say the U.S. should have a major role in the situation between Russia and Ukraine. Another 37 percent say a minor role; 21 percent believe the U.S. should have no role at all, however, while 6 percent are unsure.

Forty-six percent support sending additional U.S. troops into Eastern Europe to deter Russia, but 43 percent oppose such a move and 11 percent either have no opinion or are unsure.

“New Jerseyans mostly echo national views on the U.S.’s role when it comes to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,” said Ashley Koning, an assistant research professor and director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling (ECPIP) at Rutgers University–New Brunswick. “But with New Jersey having one of the largest Ukrainian populations in the country, residents here are slightly more likely than Americans nationwide to want to see the U.S. play a major role in the conflict and send additional troops.”

Forty-five percent of those earning $100 thousand in household income or more and those who have a 4-year degree or more (44 percent) say the U.S. should play a major role, compared to about one-third of those with less schooling or lower income. Preference for the U.S. playing a major role also increases with age.

Democrats (52 percent) and Republicans (51 percent), alike, are slightly more supportive of sending additional troops than Independents (41 percent). Support is also higher among those who have done graduate work than those with lower education levels and increases with age.

“Ukraine is one of the few issues where respondents mostly agree nowadays, including across partisan lines,” said Jessica Roman, a research associate with the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling (ECPIP) at Rutgers University–New Brunswick. “Only minor differences emerge within key demographics, but the division in how the United States should be involved is widespread across all subgroups.”

Results are from a statewide poll of 1,044 adults contacted by live interviewers on landlines and cell phones from February 25 – March 4. The full sample has a margin of error of +/- 3.5 percentage points. The subsample within the first question has a margin of error of +/- 4.8 percentage points, while the subsample within the second question has a margin of error of +/-5.1 percentage points.

Read the full report.