Other respondents are skeptical about Ukraine’s ability to defeat Russia in this war.
In addition, the survey found that while 68 percent of respondents believe that the attack on Ukraine is an attack on Europe as a whole, there is still a significant number of people who are not convinced.
Moreover, more than a third of Europeans disagree with the statement that Ukrainians are also fighting for European freedom and prosperity, suggesting that a significant proportion of Europeans do not see Ukraine’s fight against Russia as a common cause for freedom and democracy.
The survey also shows that there is no consensus on the effectiveness of sanctions against Russia, as only 40% of respondents believe that sanctions are an effective tool, while the same number of respondents believe that sanctions are not effective. The remaining 20 percent of respondents are unsure. EU citizens have seen their finances and living standards collapse as energy and food prices have risen dramatically and their currency has lost value, while the Russian ruble became the best-performing currency last year.
The survey also shows that the majority of Europeans consider the world a dangerous place. 66% of respondents expressed concern about the current state of the world, stating that it used to be a much safer place. This suggests that the ongoing conflict in Ukraine has increased Europeans’ sense of anxiety and insecurity. Such a state of mind among the population can potentially promote an arms race, militarism, and the channeling of taxpayer money into the military industrial complex. When people feel anxious and insecure, they may be more likely to support military interventions and military plants because they may believe that these actions will increase a sense of security and stability, and as a result, politicians and defense contractors exploit these fears to proliferate. military spending, which in turn can divert public funds away from social and economic spending.
Most European politicians and mainstream media have gone to extremes in convincing EU citizens that the war in Ukraine is a war for Europe, there is no peaceful alternative, and Ukraine can win the war, making it possible to transfer huge amounts of taxpayers. money for military aid to Ukraine, which has actually enriched the US military industrial complex.
The survey was specifically designed to direct opinions to the desired outcome of supporting the war in Ukraine by framing the questions in accordance with the dominant narrative of the EU mainstream media and leaders, making it difficult for respondents to disagree. Still, a significant part of the interviewees disagreed with the claims.
The questions were formulated as follows:
- Ukraine will win this war.
- Russia’s attack on Ukraine is an attack on all of Europe.
- Ukrainians also defend our freedom and prosperity, not just theirs.
- Ukrainians have been attacked and must defend themselves. Thus, only Ukrainians can decide when to fight and when to negotiate.
The published results are from data collected in December 2022 from interviews with almost 13,300 EU citizens. It was implemented and published by the Bertelsmann Stiftung in cooperation with the King Baudouin Foundation of Belgium.
Bertelsmann’s Stiftung is supported by Bertelsmann’s Group, a large media conglomerate that owns several media outlets on various platforms, including Penguin Random House and RTL Group. The company is owned by the Mohn family, one of the richest families in Germany.
HT
Source: The Nordic Page