Only 11% of Europeans view US as ally, survey shows

Only 11% of Europeans across 15 countries view the United States as an ally, a historic low and down from 16% half a year ​ago and 22% in November 2024, according to a survey published ‌by the European Council on Foreign Relations today (10 June).

The findings, released ahead of G7 and NATO summits, highlight Europe's waning confidence in Washington as a reliable security partner. Majorities in ​all surveyed countries expressed doubts that the US would come to their ​defence in the event of an attack.

• Europeans were four percentage points ⁠more likely than last year to support increased national defence spending. Italy ​is the only country where a clear majority remains opposed.

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• 47% of respondents across the ​region back the idea of collective EU borrowing to fund defence initiatives, with the strongest support recorded in Portugal (59%), Denmark (56%), and the Netherlands (55%).

• Most respondents advocated reducing reliance on US military hardware ​in favour of European alternatives, with Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden reporting the ​highest support for "buying European".

• Poland was the sole outlier with a majority favouring increased purchases of ‌US ⁠weapons, while Germany, Italy and Hungary showed significant division on the matter.

• Resistance to cutting domestic public spending for increased defence budgets remains strong in Italy (63%), Austria (59%) and Germany (56%).

• On energy policy, 44% of Europeans opposed resuming oil and gas imports from Russia ​despite rising costs.

• Most ​respondents continue to ⁠support Ukraine as an ally or strategic partner, though consensus weakens when it comes to sending peacekeeping troops to Ukraine ​post-war or expanding EU membership eastward.

• Majorities in every country polled ​except Bulgaria ⁠thought US-European relations would improve when US President Donald Trump left office.

• The poll was carried out in May 2026 using a mix of methods by pollsters including Mandate ⁠Research ​and YouGov, sampling the views of people aged ​18 and over in Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, ​Switzerland and the UK.