Eleven EU countries surveyed on Ukraine

Majority (55%) Of Citizens Surveyed In 11 EU Countries Believe Their Nations Should Do Everything Possible To Support Stability in the Remaining Country of Ukraine

But Support for Specific Actions Weaker, Especially for Military Action

A majority (55%) of citizens of eleven countries in the European Union (EU) believe that their leaders should do everything possible to support stability in the remaining country of Ukraine given the recent annexation of the Crimea region by the Russian Federation, according to a new Ipsos poll released today. However, when specific actions that could be taken by the leadership of their own country to deal with the situation are tested, support is relatively weaker, especially for military action.

The poll was conducted from April 1, 2014 to April 17, 2014 and surveyed 8,333 adults in Belgium, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and Sweden.

A majority (55%) indicate that their country should “do everything possible to support the remaining country of Ukraine and its people to achieve political and economic stability”…

Agreement with the statement was led by respondents from Sweden (69%), followed by those from Ireland (64%), Spain (62%), Great Britain and Poland (59%), Germany (58%), the Netherlands (51%), France and Belgium (50%), Italy (49%) and is much lower in Hungary (31%).

Of the countries surveyed, 50% indicated that they supported their nation doing “everything possible to ensure that Russia does not advance further into the Ukraine beyond Crimea”. Those most likely to support this proposition were again from Sweden (65%), followed by Poland (58%), Ireland (54%), Germany (52%), Great Britain and Spain (51%), Italy (49%), the Netherlands (49%), Belgium (47%), France (43%) and is lowest again in Hungary (34%).

45% support their government imposing economic sanctions against Russia…

On average, 45% of the nations surveyed indicated that their government should impose economic sanctions against Russia because of its recent actions. Those most likely to agree to this proposition included Sweden (59%) followed by Poland (53%), Great Britain (47%), Spain (47%), Ireland (46%), Germany (46%), the Netherlands (46%), Belgium (42%), France (39%), Italy (34%) and Hungary (32%).

43% agreed that their countries should “impose personal monetary and asset freezes or penalties against President Putin and other leaders in the Kremlin who have wealth and holdings”…

In total, 43% of those surveyed agreed that their country leaders should “impose personal monetary and asset freezes or penalties against President Putin and other leaders in the Kremlin who have wealth and holdings”. This proposition wares again most supported by those from Sweden (56%), followed by those in Poland (52%), Ireland (46%), Germany (44%), the Netherlands (44%), France (43%), Great Britain (42%), Spain (41%), Belgium (40%), Hungary (33%) and Italy (30%).

Only three in ten (29%) believe that their country’s leaders should “stay out of what is happening and leave it up to others to solve the problems…

Only three in ten (29%) believe that there country’s leaders should “stay out of what is happening and leave it up to others to solve the problems”. Those most likely to agree with this are those from Hungary (49%), followed by Great Britain (35%), Ireland (34%), Poland (33%), France (28%), Belgium and Germany (26%), Spain (20%), the Netherlands (19%), and Sweden (15%).

Only one quarter (26%) support a mixed military force as a buffer…

One quarter (26%) say they would “support a mixed military force from various European countries including my own to deploy as a buffer inside the Ukraine so that Russia will not advance further”.

Those most likely to support the mixed military force are from Poland (38%), followed by those from Ireland (34%), Sweden (30%), Germany (26%), France (25%), Great Britain (25%), the Netherlands (25%), Spain (23%), Belgium (22%), Italy (21%) and Hungary (15%).

Only one quarter (23%) support recognising the Crimea as a new part of the Federation of Russia…

Only one quarter (23%) of those surveyed in 10 countries support “recognising the Crimea as a new part of the Federation of Russia and move quickly to restore political and economic relationships with President Putin and the Russian political leaders”.

Those most likely to believe in this approach come from Germany (32%) followed by those from Ireland (31%), Hungary (28%), Great Britain (26%) and Italy (26%), Spain (23%), Belgium (22%), France (20%), Poland (19%), the Netherlands (18%) and Sweden (12%).

• Download the charts (PDF)

Technical note

Respondents from the 11 countries surveyed from April 1 to April 17, 2014 and included interviews in Belgium (500), France (1000), Germany (1001), Great Britain (1000), Hungary (500), Ireland (500), Italy (1000), the Netherlands (832), Poland (500), Spain (1000) and Sweden (500). Those interviewed were respondents from the Ipsos Online panel group for each country and were weighted to approximate the general population of each country surveyed. Overall figures quoted are an average across the ten countries (ie treating each country as equal). The credibility interval margin for 500 is +/- 5.0% 19 times out of 20 and four 1000 is +/-3.5% 19 times out of 20.