Only 10% of Europeans believe Ukraine can win the war

A recent EU-wide poll indicates that only one in ten Europeans believe Ukraine can defeat Russia, with pessimism rising due to Ukraine’s failed counteroffensive

A recent EU-wide survey reveals that only one in ten Europeans believe Ukraine has the capacity to defeat Russia.

The poll, conducted across 12 EU countries including France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, and Sweden, attributes this pessimism to Ukraine’s unsuccessful counteroffensive, potential shifts in U.S. policy, and the prospect of Donald Trump returning to the White House.

Titled ‘Wars and Elections: How European leaders can maintain public support for Ukraine,’ the report also indicates that 20% of respondents foresee a victory for Russia. Despite continued strong support for Kyiv among Europeans, the survey suggests that a “compromise settlement” is viewed as the most probable resolution to the conflict.

This represents a notable change in sentiment compared to a year ago when a majority of Europeans believed Ukraine should reclaim all its lost territories. The report’s authors argue that European politicians should adopt a more “realistic” approach, focusing on avenues to achieve peace based on these findings.

Polls suggest that Ukrainians largely oppose any settlement that involves ceding territory to Russia. The debate among experts centers on whether a peace agreement that involves territorial concessions could embolden the Kremlin, potentially leading to future conflicts, or if ending the current bloodshed should be the top priority.

The survey, conducted in January, precedes a recent strategic and symbolic victory for Moscow in the eastern Donetsk region, where Ukrainian forces were compelled to withdraw from Adiivka over the weekend.

Among the surveyed countries, a preference for pressuring Kyiv to accept a settlement was most pronounced in Hungary (64%), Greece (59%), and Italy (52%). Conversely, support for Ukraine regaining its territories was strongest in Sweden (50%), Portugal (48%), and Poland (47%).

Source: Newsroom

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