From euronews.com
Nearly half of Europeans agree Brussels should sharpen its military strategy, as the bloc faces up to a belligerent Russia and wavering US.
More than one third of the most eurosceptic voters believe the EU should prioritise a common defence policy, an exclusive poll produced for Euronews shows.
An Ipsos survey of 26,000 of the EU electorate showed nearly half favour pooling military powers – a result that will likely come as a comfort to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who’s made defence a central plank of her re-election campaign.
The poll, which probed views in countries representing 96% of the EU population ahead of bloc-wide elections due in June, showed voters are most concerned about inflation, inequality and migration.
But strengthening defences would still be more popular than sending aid to war-torn Ukraine, or protecting minorities, the survey showed.
Many EU states are starting to build up their militaries after full-scale war broke out in Ukraine, and given signs that a Donald Trump-led US might show less commitment to NATO.
While more of an economic and regulatory superpower than a military one, the EU has started looking to make arms procurement more efficient, and EU Single Market Commissioner Thierry Breton has even mooted a €100bn defence fund.
Stronger EU defence is particularly popular in countries such as Finland and Poland, the survey said – perhaps because Russia’s neighbours are worried about its increased belligerence.
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