Almost 70% of Europeans approve of increased EU defense investment - poll

Almost a week after 19 Russian drones entered Polish airspace, a survey was conducted on the level of support for defense spending among European countries. Although the number has slightly decreased compared to April last year, the vast majority are in favor of increasing national defense spending.

UNN reports with reference to Euractiv.

Details

Support for increasing national defense spending has slightly decreased compared to last year's survey results, but the level remains consistently high.

Of more than 5,400 respondents, two-thirds (67%) said they supported increasing investment in defense.

2024 survey: 74% were in favor of increasing necessary spending.

It is important to explain:

Individual countries may have an excessive impact on the broader picture.

• In Italy, 48% support increased defense spending; in
• in Spain - 68% support on this issue;
• in Poland, 86% strong support for increased spending was recorded - not surprising, as the country is close to its northeastern neighbor, which is waging an aggressive war in Ukraine.

Another interesting point: when responses were organized based on affiliation with European political groups, the survey found greater support for increased defense spending among centrists and center-right parties. Among left-wing and far-right parties, such support is at a lower level:

• EPP 85%;
• "Renew" 80%;
• ECR 69%;
• "Patriots" 64%;
• S&D 60%;
• "Greens" 51%;
• "Left" 50%;
• ESN 40%.

Recall

The Cabinet of Ministers approved amendments to the State Budget-2025, which plan to allocate an additional 324.7 billion hryvnias by the end of the year. The main source of financing for increased expenditures is funds from the EU within the framework of the G7 Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration for Ukraine initiative.