While some European leaders such as French President Emmanuel Macron are toying with the idea of sending troops to fight in Ukraine, the vast majority of Europeans firmly reject this idea, according to a new poll from a Hungarian think tank.
While 59 percent of EU citizens would fight for their country on its territory, only slightly over a quarter (27 percent) would take up arms outside its borders. In fact, when it comes to the involvement of EU soldiers in Ukraine, there is overwhelming rejection (69 percent), according to the latest results from the Hungarian think tank Századvég’s “Europe Project” poll.
By country, the proportion of those willing to defend their country with arms within its borders exceeds the proportion of those who would not, in all EU member states. High levels of willingness to defend themselves with arms within their national borders are found in Lithuania (74 percent), Estonia (70 percent) and Hungary (70 percent), among others.
The percentage of those in favor of armed combat outside their own borders is no higher than 50 percent in any EU member state, and only in Lithuania (46 percent) does this figure exceed the number of those opposed (28 percent).
In Germany, where the possible reintroduction of conscription has become the focus of public debate, only 23 percent surveyed would take up arms outside their country’s borders, while six out of ten Germans (60 percent) would refrain from doing so.
It is also important to underline that the Hungarians (75 percent) and the Austrians and Belgians (both 66 percent) are the most opposed to military service outside their own country.
The survey also addressed the issue of the deployment of European military forces in Ukraine. More than two-thirds of EU respondents (69 percent) are against their country sending troops to Ukraine, while 25 percent would not object.
Moreover, the percentage of those in favor of intervention in any EU member state does not exceed the percentage of those opposed.
Hungarians (91 percent) and Bulgarians (86 percent) are the two nationalities most against supporting Ukraine by sending troops.
The poll reflects trends seen in other polls, such as one conducted earlier this month in which the vast majority of respondents said they wanted an end to the conflict in Ukraine.
