74 percent of Europeans support EU’s backing for Ukraine, poll finds

An overwhelming majority of EU citizens back the bloc’s continued support for Ukraine, the latest Eurobarometer poll released Thursday shows.

Asked if they approved of the bloc’s position of support for Ukraine, 74 percent answered yes, with a third saying they “strongly” approved.

Almost as many — 73 percent — said they agreed with the EU’s financial, military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine as well as sanctions against Russia, just as member countries are considering whether to speed up their military support for Ukraine.

The study shows major discrepancies between member countries, however. The EU’s support for Ukraine is more popular in Nordic countries, the Netherlands, Ireland and Portugal, where it is approved by more than 90 percent of the population. On the other end of the spectrum, less than half of respondents in Greece, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Cyprus said they approved of the EU’s actions towards Ukraine.

Over 26,000 people from all member countries were interviewed as part of the survey, which was conducted between October 12 and November 7.

Most people support the EU’s actions in spite of being aware of the war’s consequences on their daily life, with almost two-thirds of those polled believing their life will change because of the war in Ukraine.

This is reflected in heightened concerns over the rising cost of living on the continent, which is now the top worry of Europeans, before poverty and social exclusion, climate change, and a potential spillover of the war to other countries.

Almost half (46 percent) say their living standards have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic followed by the war in Ukraine, which has created a surge in energy prices, fuelling soaring inflation rates across the continent.