Eurobarometer: Europeans continue to strongly support Ukraine

Support among Europeans for a range of actions taken in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine remains very high, Eurobarometer said on December 13, releasing the results of a poll done between late October and mid-November among citizens of all 27 EU member states.

Almost nine in 10 (89 per cent) agree with providing humanitarian support to the people affected by the war, and more than eight in ten (84 per cent) agree with welcoming into the EU people fleeing the war, Eurobarometer said.

Seventy-two per cent agree with providing financial support to Ukraine.

The same proportion (72 per cent) support economic sanctions on the Russian government, companies, and individuals.

About six in 10 approve of the EU granting candidate status to Ukraine (61 per cent) and of the EU financing the purchase and supply of military equipment to Ukraine (60 per cent).

Most respondents are satisfied with the EU’s response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine (57 per cent).

Fifty-four per cent of Europeans say the same about their national government’s response.

In the face of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, more than eight in 10 respondents agree that the EU should invest massively in renewable energies (83 per cent) and reduce its dependency on Russian sources of energy as soon as possible (81 per cent).

More than two thirds of EU citizens (69 per cent) are for a common foreign policy of the EU member states and agree the EU has sufficient power and tools to defend the economic interests of Europe in the global economy.

More than three quarters of Europeans (77 per cent) are in favour of a common defence and security policy among EU member states. This opinion is shared by more than six in 10 respondents in each member state.

Nearly seven in 10 respondents (69 per cent) are in favour of a common European policy on migration while 68 per cent support a common European asylum system.

At the same time, three quarters of respondents (75 per cent) are in favour of a reinforcement of EU external borders with more European border guards and coast guards.

Twenty-eight per cent of Europeans think immigration on the one hand and the war in Ukraine on the other hand are among the two most important issues facing the EU. Then comes the international situation (24 per cent), followed by the ‘rising prices/inflation/cost of living’ (20 per cent, ranking fourth while it was the first concern last spring).

Seven EU citizens out of 10 (70 per cent) believe that the European Union is a place of stability in a troubled world. This is the case for the majority of respondents in all EU member states.

In addition, more than six in 10 citizens (61 per cent) are optimistic about the future of the EU.

The Standard Eurobarometer 100 (Autumn 2023) was conducted between October 23 and November 15 2023 across the 27 EU member states; 26 471 EU citizens were interviewed face-to-face.

(Photo: EC Audiovisual Service)