Most Europeans view Ukraine as ally or necessary partner

Most Europeans perceive Ukraine as a necessary partner with whom strategic cooperation is important, whereas in some countries, the share of those who see it as an ally is even higher.

According to the latest survey by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), a majority of respondents in the surveyed countries view Ukraine as either a necessary partner or an ally.

The prevailing perception is that Ukraine is a "necessary partner with which Europeans should strategically cooperate"; in most countries, more than 30% of respondents gave this assessment.

In some countries, an even higher share views Ukraine as an ally that shares the same interests and values.

The highest proportion of such responses came from Sweden (52%), the United Kingdom (46%), and Denmark (45%). This perception also outweighs the perception of Ukraine as a "necessary partner" in the Netherlands, Portugal and Estonia.

Meanwhile, Poland, Hungary and Bulgaria were the countries with the highest share of respondents who view Ukraine as a competitor or even an adversary (although such respondents remain a minority overall).

In Poland, 14% view Ukraine as a competitor and 9% as an adversary; in Hungary, 5% and 25% respectively; and in Bulgaria, 7% and 19% respectively. In these countries, as well as in Italy and Switzerland, a notably high share of respondents is "undecided" on this issue.

According to the survey, only 11% of Europeans view the United States as an ally – a figure that has halved since 2024.

Despite declining trust in the United States in Europe, there is still no widespread support among Europeans for the idea that NATO should be replaced with a purely European defence alliance.

In addition, the survey has shown that a majority of Europeans support increased defence spending.