Although financial obstacles persist, most of the six European nations remain in favor of supporting Ukraine amid Russia’s ongoing invasion, with Italy standing out as the only country showing consistent sharp disagreement.
Prior to the European Council summit where EU leaders will determine funding for Ukraine, a recent YouGov poll reveals that key European countries generally endorse the use of frozen Russian assets to finance assistance for the conflict-affected nation.
Most respondents from the UK, Poland, Germany, and Spain favor allocating frozen Russian funds held in European bank accounts to boost aid for Ukraine.
Italy, however, represents an outlier, with public opinion split almost evenly: 39% are in favor and 38% against this measure.
Analysts suggest Italy’s division highlights «a more profound split in its political spectrum,» notably between a «pro-Ukraine» segment within Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s administration regarding security issues and another faction in the ruling coalition led by Matteo Salvini that often shows greater sympathy toward Russia and Euroscepticism.
«This internal conflict reveals Italy’s ambivalent stance within the EU, torn between ambitions to be a key player at the European level and sustaining domestic political narratives that frequently express Eurosceptic views,» Alberto Alemanno, Jean Monnet Professor of European Union law and policy at HEC Paris, explained to Europe in Motion.
As several of Europe’s leading economies face fiscal constraints and high debts, EU member states intend to fund Ukraine’s defense by utilizing €210 billion in Russian Central Bank assets immobilized by EU sanctions since February 2022.
The European Commission has urged Belgium to accept an unprecedented reparations loan to Ukraine, raising concerns within the Belgian government because €185 billion of these assets are held at Euroclear, a securities depository based in Brussels.
Belgium seeks assurances from fellow EU countries to mitigate any potential financial losses should Russia succeed in a lawsuit against Belgium related to this plan, especially considering that the Russian Central Bank has initiated legal action against Euroclear.
To address Belgian apprehensions, the Commission proposed guarantees and protections designed to nullify arbitration attempts. The EU has also indefinitely immobilized Russian assets to avert any sudden liquidity problems.
Nevertheless, Italy, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, and Malta joined Belgium on Friday in issuing a joint declaration urging the Commission to find «alternative solutions» featuring «clear parameters» and «significantly reduced risks».
Since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Italy has frozen approximately €2.3 billion of assets belonging to Russian oligarchs, based on information from Italian authorities.
«Many Italians view their economy as especially vulnerable to energy disruptions and retaliatory actions, which makes them more cautious compared to Northern European countries with different economic structures and energy dependencies,» Alemanno noted. «There are also worries about the potential precedent of utilizing financial instruments as political weapons, possibly harming European economic interests and established legal frameworks.»
Does consistent support persist?
Despite the difficulties regarding funding, most of these European nations continue to endorse financial aid to Ukraine in the face of Russia’s ongoing aggression.
Populations surveyed in the UK, Germany, France, Poland, and Spain predominantly believe supporting Ukraine monetarily is justified, with approval rates spanning from 73% to 50%.
In contrast, Italian public opinion remains split, showing 44% in favor and 34% opposed.
«This reflects backing for abstract principles like sovereignty, while expressing reservations about the tangible costs of sustained financial commitments, especially as Italian citizens — similar to other EU nationals — deal with their own economic challenges,» Alemanno told Europe in Motion.
Each country also shows internal divergence regarding whether the support level provided to Ukraine is excessive, insufficient, or adequate.
Germany ranks among five EU countries with a higher number of respondents—34%—who feel support is excessive, whereas in Poland, 36% believe the current assistance is appropriate.
Regarding NATO, Russia seeks to prevent Ukraine’s future accession, though European countries have not dismissed the possibility.
Among surveyed EU nations, Spaniards are the most supportive of Ukrainian membership in NATO, while other countries show narrower support ranging between 42% and 47% in favor.