Support for Ukraine's EU accession has changed: poll
Nearly half of EU residents support Ukraine's accession to the EU. According to a poll, 49% of EU citizens are in favor of Ukraine's membership, though support has declined in Poland, Germany, and France. Spain currently has the most supporters of Ukraine’s European integration.
Overall, 49% of EU citizens surveyed said they support Ukraine’s accession to the European Union. Thirty-nine percent of respondents opposed Ukraine’s membership. Another 12% were undecided. The level of support varies significantly by country. Spain has the highest number of supporters of Ukraine’s accession to the EU—65% of respondents there support Ukraine’s membership.
Spain Leads in Support
Spain ranks first among EU countries in terms of support for Ukraine’s accession to the bloc. Since the start of the full-scale war, relations between Kyiv and Madrid have strengthened significantly. Spain is actively assisting Ukraine in the military sphere. In particular, the country has already trained more than 9,000 Ukrainian servicemen.
In addition, in 2026, Madrid announced a €1 billion defense aid package for Ukraine. It is against the backdrop of this cooperation that support for Ukraine’s European integration remains high in Spain. Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed—65%—expressed support for Ukraine’s accession to the EU.
What Do People in Italy Think?
Attitudes toward Ukraine’s potential accession to the European Union are also positive in Italy. There, 52% of respondents support Ukraine’s membership. At the same time, Italians are more likely to emphasize the need for reforms. A significant portion of those in favor of Ukraine’s accession believe that Kyiv must first meet the necessary requirements and implement the changes required by the European integration process.
In other words, support for Ukraine’s membership does not necessarily mean a willingness to accept it into the EU without fulfilling the established conditions.
Sentiment has shifted in Poland, Germany, and France
At the same time, pollsters have noted another trend. In three countries that were previously among Ukraine’s most active supporters, the level of support for its full EU membership has declined. These are Poland, Germany, and France.
In these countries, the majority of respondents now oppose Ukraine gaining full membership in the European Union and the right to vote in its institutions. This trend is particularly noticeable in Poland, where the share of those opposed to Ukraine’s accession to the EU has reached 49%.
At the same time, it is important to consider when the survey was conducted. Pollsters collected responses in early July, immediately following a high-profile scandal between Ukraine and Poland. For this reason, the results may reflect the impact of recent events on Poles’ attitudes toward Ukraine.
Support Remains, but Countries Are Divided
Overall, the results show that there is no consensus within the European Union regarding Ukraine’s future membership. On the one hand, nearly half of EU residents support Ukraine’s accession to the bloc. The highest level of support was recorded in Spain—65%—and in Italy, supporters also accounted for more than half—52%.
On the other hand, attitudes toward Ukrainian membership have cooled in several major EU countries. This is particularly noticeable in Poland, Germany, and France, where a majority of respondents do not support granting Ukraine full membership with voting rights.
Thus, despite general support for Ukraine’s European integration, the question of its future accession to the EU remains a subject of debate even among countries that actively supported Kyiv after the start of the full-scale war. This is evidenced by the results of a Polling Europe survey cited by Euronews.
Ukrainian drivers will not have to rush to replace their driver’s licenses after the country joins the European Union. However, there is an important caveat: current licenses will remain valid only in Ukraine, and for travel within EU countries, they will need to be exchanged for a European-style license.
