Support for Ukraine joining EU 2024| Statista

In response to Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine which began in February 2022, the European Union has supported Ukraine by providing financial and military aid, as well as by taking in millions of Ukrainian refugees fleeing the conflict. The European Commission has additionally promised to set Ukraine on fast-track for EU membership once the conflict is over, with this decision being supported by most member states and the majority of EU survey respondents. The decision is seen to reflect the EU's commitment to supporting Ukraine in winning its war against the Russian Federation and reclaiming its annexed territories in the south and east of the country. However, some in the EU see the decision as being rushed and not reflecting the realities of what Ukraine will need to achieve to reach the EU's membership requirements.

Ukraine's biggest supporters in the EU

Among the countries who show the highest levels of support for Ukraine membership among their citizens are Sweden, Portugal, Poland, Lithuania, and Ireland. For many of these countries, notably Poland and Lithuania that both share a border with Russia, the aim of bringing Ukraine into the EU is the only way to ensure a just ending to Russia's war of aggression, as it would allow the rebuilding and development of Ukraine within the EU, as well as fulfilling the Ukrainian citizens' desire to become an EU member state and to break away from the influence of the Kremlin. Only twelve percent of Swedish citizens disagree with the decision, with over 80 percent agreeing to Ukraine's candidate status.

Ukraine EU membership divides opinion in CEE

Several former communist countries in central and Eastern Europe show low-levels of support for Ukraine's accession to the EU, with Czechia having only 32 percent agreeing with the EU's decision, against 60 percent who disagree. Among the reasons for former communist countries disagreeing with Ukraine joining are the fear that a large low-wage labor force in Ukraine will undermine their recent economic progress, that Ukraine's issues with corruption and its intensely divided national politics will cause issues for the EU, and that the decision will further provoke Russian aggression and interference in Eastern Europe.

Public opinion on the European Union's decision to grant Ukraine candidate status in response to Russia's invasion in 2024, by member state

Characteristic	Totally agree	Tend to agree	Tend to disagree	Totally disagree	Don't know
Sweden	55%	28%	9%	3%	5%
Portugal	16%	66%	9%	2%	7%
Poland	24%	51%	16%	6%	3%
Lithuania	35%	39%	13%	7%	6%
Ireland	34%	39%	12%	8%	7%
Denmark	43%	29%	14%	8%	6%
Finland	31%	41%	15%	5%	8%
Spain	34%	36%	14%	7%	9%
Netherlands	32%	37%	17%	11%	3%
Latvia	32%	36%	16%	7%	9%
Croatia	21%	43%	19%	10%	7%
EU27	20%	40%	21%	13%	6%
Italy	15%	45%	27%	9%	4%
Estonia	22%	37%	19%	13%	9%
Germany	16%	42%	22%	14%	6%
Romania	13%	43%	26%	11%	7%
Belgium	15%	39%	29%	14%	3%
Slovakia	15%	39%	26%	13%	7%
France	16%	37%	21%	16%	10%
Austria	22%	31%	18%	24%	5%
Malta	15%	37%	22%	17%	9%
Luxembourg	19%	28%	23%	23%	7%
Slovenia	14%	31%	30%	20%	5%
Bulgaria	11%	33%	26%	18%	12%
Greece	8%	33%	30%	20%	9%
Cyprus	14%	27%	28%	25%	6%
Hungary	9%	31%	26%	29%	5%
Czechia	8%	26%	29%	31%	6%

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Release date

November 2024

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Region

Survey time period

October to November 2024

Number of respondents

26,525 respondents

Age group

15 years and older

Method of interview

Face-to-face interview

Supplementary notes

The question was phrased by the source as follows: "The EU has taken a series of actions as a response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. To what extent you agree or disagree with each of these actions taken? Granting candidate status as a potential Member of the EU to Ukraine".

CAVI (Computer Assisted Video Interviewing) methodology used in Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Malta, Netherlands, Finland, and Sweden.

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