The ECFR think-tank surveyed 19,566 people in 14 European nations and Ukraine in May to gauge support for Kiev's war effort, The Guardian reported, citing the results of the research.
Inside the 14 European countries surveyed, most respondents said a negotiated settlement was the likeliest outcome. Only in Estonia, the prevailing 38% banked on Ukraine winning the conflict. In Ukraine, 58% said they believed in victory, versus 30% who expected a negotiated solution.
The poll found that most Europeans believed it was more important to strengthen Kiev’s negotiating hand through continued arms supplies than to pressure it to fight to the bitter end. At the same time, the majority of Ukrainians sampled said they would prefer ceding territories than losing sovereignty, defined by the right to join the EU and NATO.
The survey also revealed that several core EU member states — Germany, France, and Spain — as well as Switzerland lacked a national consensus on the Ukrainian conflict and the EU's role in it. No country polled showed support for sending troops to Ukraine.
Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine in February 2022. The two countries held several rounds of peace talks, but they ultimately failed. Moscow says it is open to resume negotiations with Kiev as long as it recognizes Russia's territorial gains.