Research
Public opinion in Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, and The USA. How do these countries support Ukraine and its NATO aspirations?
18 May 2023, 16:39
author: Leonid Litra

New Europe Center presents opinion poll in five countries – France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and the USA. It was conducted by Kantar company at the request of our think tank on April 27 – May 2 2023.

In particular, we asked the following questions:

  1. How long should your country continue to support Ukraine military and financially?
  2. How do you think a lasting peace will be restored to Ukraine?
  3. In July this year, there will be a NATO Summit in Vilnius. On this occasion,Ukraine is expecting to receive an invitation to become a NATO member in the near future. Do you think NATO should…

Key conclisions:

Support of Ukraine. The majority of respondents in all the surveyed countries (of those who expressed an opinion) supports option “until Ukraine regains control over all territories (including Crimea)”. The ranking is led by France with 64%, the Netherlands with 58%, Germany with 52%, the US with 52%, and Italy with 50%.

Restored peace. The most preferred option for lasting peace is the regime change in Russia, which tops the preferences in all the surveyed countries, although to a different degree. The second most preferred option among all countries is the defeat of Russia on the battlefield and then the membership of Ukraine in NATO.

NATO aspirations. In all the 5 survey countries there is support for Ukraine’s starting its accession process. If one considers the two options to “invite Ukraine to become a NATO member as soon as possible, even if the war with Russia is ongoing” and “invite Ukraine to become a NATO member but with its actual accession to NATO to happen after the war with Russia is over”, we could see the support of the majority in all the surveyed countries. The two options combined varies in EU-surveyed countries from 50% to 56%, while in the US this option is preferred by 70% of respondents who expressed their opinion.

Full opinion poll results are at the link

The opinion poll and the paper was prepared with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation. The material reflects the position of the authors and does not necessarily coincide with the position of the International Renaissance Foundation.

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