Public support for increased defence spending in Europe has declined, according to the news portal Euractiv.
According to a survey conducted in September 2025 by Polling Europe, 67% of Europeans expressed a positive opinion about increased funding for the defence sector, but this figure is 7% lower than the result of a similar survey conducted in April 2024.
The publication also noted that 52% of respondents expressed doubts about Europe’s ability to effectively withstand a prolonged military conflict with a third party.
Earlier, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticised the idea of using European Union funds to finance the “drone wall” project on NATO’s eastern flank.
