The confidence of Europeans in a “security bond” from the United States has reached an all-time low, a new survey shows.
Fewer Europeans see the US as an ally PHOTO Shutterstock
Only one in ten respondents in 15 European countries still consider the US an ally, while consistent majorities in all participating states are skeptical that Washington would come to their aid in the event of an attack, according to the survey, cited by The Guardian.
The study, published on Wednesday by the European Council on Foreign Relations think tank ahead of important meetings such as the G7 Summit and NATO meetings, indicates “a deep distrust of Europeans towards the US”according to the authors.
The research was carried out in Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK. On average, only 11% of respondents still consider the US an ally, down from 16% six months ago and 22% in November 2024.
Europeans, more and more oriented towards military autonomy
Most respondents in all countries no longer believe that the US would intervene in the event of an attack, and the dominant perception is that America has become more of a “necessary partner” than a reliable ally. However, 13% consider it a rival, and 12% even a direct opponent.
In this context, more and more Europeans support increasing defense spending and reducing dependence on American military equipment. Support for the idea of a “buy european” it is the majority in several states, including Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden and Portugal.
Also, almost half of the respondents support common loans at the European Union level for defense financing, although there are significant differences between countries.
Divisions on defense budgets and NATO's role
Although support for strengthening defense is growing slightly across Europe, there is opposition in several countries to cuts in other public spending on military funding, notably in Italy, Austria and Germany.
At the same time, only 29% of Europeans support replacing NATO with an exclusively European defense structure. In most countries, the prevailing view is that transatlantic relations will improve after Donald Trump leaves the White House.
Even against this background, support for the resumption of oil and gas imports from Russia remains low, despite economic pressures related to energy prices.
On Ukraine, European opinion remains divided: in several states, including Hungary, Bulgaria, Austria and Germany, opposition to joining the European Union is stronger than support, even in the current context of war.
