Europeans oppose troop deployment to Ukraine: Poll reveals public resistance in Germany, France, US
Residents of France and Germany oppose sending their troops to Ukraine (photo: Getty Images)
Most residents of France and Germany oppose sending their troops to Ukraine to maintain peace even after the war ends, Politico reports.
Poll results in Europe and the US
As the publication writes, according to a study by Public First, voters in the two largest EU economies would rather risk a peace agreement than agree to the presence of their peacekeepers in Ukraine.
The highest opposition was recorded in Germany, where 53% of respondents spoke against such an initiative. In France, 43% of respondents do not support the idea, while only 33% favor troop deployment.
A similar situation is observed in the US — 43% of Americans believe their troops should not enter Ukraine despite risks for regional security. Sending peacekeepers is supported by 37% of US citizens.
Where could a peacekeeping mission gain support
Only countries among those surveyed where supporters of troop deployment outnumber opponents are Canada and the United Kingdom.
In particular, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer earlier stressed that multinational forces would be vital for security guarantees for Ukraine.
Experts note that such public sentiment creates a political challenge for leaders such as Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz, who previously did not rule out the participation of their troops in ensuring future peace.
Peacekeepers in Ukraine
Discussions about the involvement of foreign troops in Ukraine have continued since early 2024.
French President Emmanuel Macron stated that he does not rule out deployment of such forces after the end of the active phase of hostilities, noting that this could stabilize the region.
At the same time, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz rejected the idea of creating a joint European army for postwar Ukraine, emphasizing that the EU's primary tasks are more important than large-scale reforms.
European countries also propose different figures for the size of the peacekeeping contingent — from 15 to 30 thousand personnel. So far, no official military plans have been announced, but the main part of the contingent could be provided by the United Kingdom and France, responsible for ground and air components.
