Those in the U.S. and the Five Largest European Nations Do Not Believe that Sanctions Imposed on Russia Because of Ukraine will Have Impact

NEW YORK, May 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- A recent Financial Times/Harris Poll in the five largest European countries and the United States looks at the current crisis in Ukraine and sanctions against Russia.

While sometimes critics say many are not aware of what might be happening outside their country's own borders, adults in these six countries are aware of Russia's annexation of Crimea and the ongoing international crisis in Ukraine. More than four in five adults in Germany (87%), Spain (86%), France (85%) and Italy (84%), as well as over three-quarters of adults in Great Britain (78%) and the United States (76%) are aware of this.

These are some of the findings of a Financial Times/Harris Poll conducted online among 5,206 adults aged 16-64 in France (1,000), Germany (1,022), Great Britain (1,030) and Spain (1,021), and adults aged 18-64 in Italy (1,019), between April 23 and 28, 2014 and 2,046 adults, 18 and older in the United States between May 8 and 12, 2014. (Full findings, including data tables, available here)

Looking at reaction to Russia's intervention in Ukraine, about half (52%) of those Americans who knew about the annexation say that the US's reaction to the intervention was about right, but over one-third (37%) say it was too weak and one in ten (11%) say it was too strong. When it comes to the EU's reaction to the intervention, among those who were aware of the annexation more than three in five Spaniards (63%), three in five French adults (59%), over half of Italians (55%) and almost half of Germans (48%) say the EU's reaction was too weak. British adults who knew about the annexation are a little more divided, as 45% say it was too weak and 43% say it was about right.

There is also a sense that the sanctions that have been imposed will not do much to curb Russia's behavior. Looking at the sanctions the EU has imposed, among those who knew about the annexation more than four in five French (82%), four in five Britons and Germans (80% each), three-quarters of Spaniards (75%) and two-thirds of Italians (67%) all say these sanctions will not have any impact. Among U.S. adults who were aware of the annexation by Russia, two-thirds (66%) say that the existing U.S. sanctions that have been imposed will not have any impact on Russia's behavior.

In fact, strong majorities of those who were aware of the annexation in each of these six countries would support harsher sanctions against Russia. Almost three-quarters of Spaniards (74%) and Americans (73%), seven in ten Italians (72%), Britons (71%) and French (69%) and three in five Germans (61%) all say they would support tougher sanctions against Russia. One-third of Spaniards who knew about the annexation (33%) and almost three in ten Americans (28%) would strongly support tougher sanctions.

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Methodology 
This FT/Harris Poll was conducted online by Harris Interactive among a total of 5,206 adults aged 16-64 in France (1,000), Germany (1,022), Great Britain (1,030), Spain (1,021), and adults aged 18-64 in Italy (1,019), between April 23 and 28, 2014 and 2,046 adults, aged 18 and older in the United States between May 8 and 12, 2014. Figures for age, sex, education, region and Internet usage were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was used to adjust for respondents' propensity to be online.

All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use probability sampling, are subject to multiple sources of error which are most often not possible to quantify or estimate, including sampling error, coverage error, error associated with nonresponse, error associated with question wording and response options, and post-survey weighting and adjustments. Therefore, The Harris Poll avoids the words "margin of error" as they are misleading. All that can be calculated are different possible sampling errors with different probabilities for pure, unweighted, random samples with 100% response rates. These are only theoretical because no published polls come close to this ideal.

Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in Harris Poll surveys. The data have been weighted to reflect the composition of the adult population. Because the sample is based on those who agreed to participate in our panel, no estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

The results of this Harris Poll may not be used in advertising, marketing or promotion without the prior written permission of The Harris Poll.

These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls and the British Polling Council.

The Harris Poll^® #48, May 15, 2014 
By Regina A. Corso, VP, Harris Poll and Public Relations

About Nielsen & The Harris Poll 
On February 3, 2014, Nielsen acquired Harris Interactive and The Harris Poll.  Nielsen Holdings N.V. (NYSE: NLSN) is a global information and measurement company with leading market positions in marketing and consumer information, television and other media measurement, online intelligence and mobile measurement. Nielsen has a presence in approximately 100 countries, with headquarters in New York, USA and Diemen, the Netherlands. For more information, visit www.nielsen.com.

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SOURCE The Harris Poll