Support for Ukraine has divided eastern and western Germany: how many Germans support military aid

Nearly two-thirds of Germans support military aid to Ukraine, while 46% expect russia to attack NATO. This is stated in the results of the ZDF-Politbarometer survey, reports UNN.

The majority of Germans support continuing military assistance to Ukraine

According to the survey results, 63% of respondents support maintaining the current level of military aid to Ukraine from European countries or increasing it. In particular, 30% of those surveyed believe that Europe should strengthen its military support for Ukraine. Another 33% are convinced that the current level of aid is sufficient and should be maintained.

Meanwhile, 32% of respondents support reducing military supplies. The remaining 5% were undecided.

At the same time, compared with the previous ZDF survey, conducted on October 5–7, Germans’ attitudes have practically not changed. At that time, 30% of respondents also supported increasing aid, 33% supported maintaining its current level, and 33% supported reducing it.

Support for Ukraine differs in eastern and western Germany

The survey results also revealed significant regional differences in attitudes toward military aid to Ukraine. In Germany’s western federal states, 67% of those surveyed support maintaining or increasing it. In particular, 32% support strengthening military assistance, while 35% believe it should remain at its current level. A total of 29% of respondents supported reducing aid.

Support is lower in the east of the country. There, 22% of those surveyed support increasing military aid, while another 27% support maintaining it. At the same time, 42% of respondents support reducing European military aid to Ukraine.

Significant differences are also observed among supporters of political parties. Voters of the "Greens" show the greatest support for continuing military aid. Among them, 54% support increasing it, while 35% support maintaining its current level.

Among supporters of the Christian Democratic and Christian Social Unions (CDU/CSU), 43% supported strengthening assistance, while another 40% supported maintaining it. By contrast, among supporters of the right-wing populist party "Alternative for Germany" (AfD), the opposite position prevails: 81% of its supporters support reducing military aid to Ukraine.

Nearly half of Germans expect russia to attack NATO countries

Sociologists also paid particular attention to assessing the threat of a possible expansion of russian aggression to other European states.

According to the survey results, 46% of respondents believe that russia may attack eastern NATO countries, including Poland, Estonia, Latvia, or Lithuania. Meanwhile, 48% of those surveyed do not expect such a development. Another 6% were unable to decide.

The greatest differences in assessments of the russian threat were recorded between residents of eastern and western Germany. In particular, in the eastern federal states, 57% of respondents do not believe that russia could attack other NATO countries. In the western part of the country, 46% of those surveyed share this view.

The overwhelming majority of Germans do not believe putin is ready to end the war

The survey also revealed considerable skepticism in German society regarding the intentions of russian dictator vladimir putin to halt hostilities against Ukraine.

Thus, 79% of those surveyed doubt that the kremlin chief is genuinely interested in a lasting ceasefire. Only 16% of respondents believe that putin is serious about reaching such an agreement. At the same time, among AfD supporters, the share of those who believe that the russian leadership is interested in a lasting truce is 49%.

Sociologists also asked German citizens what position they believe U.S. President Donald Trump takes in russia’s war against Ukraine. In particular, 38% of respondents believe that the American president is more supportive of the russian side. Only 1% of those surveyed are convinced that Trump is on Ukraine’s side. At the same time, 57% believe that the U.S. president supports neither side.

Recall

At the end of August, Germany announced new aid for Ukraine worth €60 million: €50 million will be channeled through the UN and non-governmental organizations, and €10 million to a NATO fund.