Across the five countries surveyed, the main reason cited for supporting continued aid to Ukraine was the belief that nations should not seize territory by force. The primary argument against more assistance was the concern about costs and the impact on the national economy.
“Much of our research indicates that Europeans feel the current era requires policy trade-offs, and financial support for Ukraine is no exception,” said Seb Wride, head of polling at Public First, a London-based independent polling company that conducted the survey for POLITICO.
“In an era where public finances are viewed as finite, people’s interests are increasingly domestic,” he added.
Western divide
Germans were the most hesitant to increase financial aid, with almost half of respondents (45 percent) supporting a reduction in aid to Kyiv, while only 20 percent favored increasing it. In France, 37 percent wanted to decrease aid, and 24 percent wanted to increase it.
Contrary to the growing opposition in Europe, support remains firm in North America. In the U.S., President Donald Trump has expressed doubts about Kyiv’s chances against Moscow and has sought peace negotiations. Yet, the U.S. had the highest percentage of respondents (37 percent) favoring increased financial support, with Canada just behind at 35 percent.
Support for Ukraine in the U.S. was mainly driven by those who backed Democratic nominee Kamala Harris in the 2024 election. About 29 percent of Harris voters cited protecting democracy as a top reason for supporting Ukraine, compared to 17 percent of Trump supporters.
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