A study by the German Bertelsmann Foundation shows that average support for Ukraine’s accelerated membership in the European Union has dropped to 47 percent among the surveyed member states, while 53 percent believe this should not be done, the study states.
In a poll conducted in ten EU member states, Ukrainians overwhelmingly, 83 percent, expressed support for membership and willingness to bear the short-term costs of accession. There are significant differences among member states: the lowest support is in Romania, 40 percent, while the highest levels of support were recorded in Sweden (69 percent) and 63 percent each in Spain and Portugal.
The study notes that Germany is among the leading donors of military and financial aid to Ukraine, but that even in Germany, support for accelerated membership stands at only 41 percent; Poland and France each have 43 percent support.
The research also shows a difference in perception of who contributes most to Europe’s defense: 29 percent of EU citizens believe the Union contributes the most, while 58 percent of Ukrainians believe it is Ukraine itself. The authors conclude that Europeans’ willingness to defend Ukraine has declined over time and that continuous explanation of the benefits of investing in Ukraine is necessary.
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