FGH’s Research and Insights team canvassed our insight community TrendSpotters— a community of 300 news-attentive Americans weighing in on the news and issues—about the situation in Ukraine. Here’s what they found:

• Engaged Americans are united in sympathy for Ukraine and fear over escalation. People on both sides of the aisle express deep antipathy toward Putin. Respondents fear regional, global and nuclear escalation. And conservatives worry China may use the situation as a pretext to attack Taiwan.

• Engaged Americans demand U.S. businesses both cut ties with Russia and support relief efforts. There is strong support—pronounced among Democrats—for actions taken by Western businesses.

• The crisis further heightens concerns engaged Americans already have. Existing worries about supply chain issues, rising prices and increased volatility of the stock market are amplified. ​​And there is concern over potential revenge hacks of U.S. financial institutions and utilities given past Russian attacks. Democrats are most concerned about cyberattacks while Republicans are focused on rising gas prices.

• The crisis brings U.S. energy policy to the forefront for Republicans. Republicans blame the Biden Administration’s climate change policies— as well as decisions around the Keystone XL pipeline and fracking—for causing overreliance on foreign energy resources. This ties into the wider context of Republican frustrations with President Biden’s leadership.

• What’s next? The implications for companies and organizations:
  • Consider ways to meet public demands for relief aid in Ukraine.
  • Be prepared on data security.
  • Proactively communicate on supply chain and prices to explain and reassure.
  • Expect further scrutiny on China. Bold decisions by major companies regarding Russia may lead to follow-on scrutiny of U.S. investments and joint ventures in China.

Read the full report here.