How many Estonians are willing to join the country's defense efforts – a survey

More than 60% of Estonian residents are willing to personally contribute to the defense of their country within the limits of their capabilities and professional skills. At the same time, the overwhelming majority of citizens believe that the country has a duty to put up fierce resistance against any external aggressor. 

This is evidenced by the official results of a recent regular public opinion poll commissioned by the Estonian Ministry of Defense, according to ERR.

According to the published data, the overall willingness of the population to participate in the defense of their homeland stands at 62%, which is fully in line with the figures from the previous two years. Among ethnic Estonians, this level reaches 69%, while among representatives of other nationalities living in the country, 48% are ready to defend the state. In addition, 81% of respondents are firmly convinced that Estonia must resist under any circumstances, and more than half of those surveyed believe in the ability of national forces to hold the line until military reinforcements arrive from NATO allies.

The survey also demonstrates a high level of public support for defense measures, as approximately 81% of citizens approve of regular military training exercises for reservists, and 80% view joint air exercises with partners positively. At the same time, a sense of anxiety is growing among the population: the proportion of people who expect the security situation to deteriorate in the future has risen to 33%. Although 49% of respondents consider direct military aggression likely, Estonians currently cite disinformation (86%) and large-scale cyberattacks (84%) as the main threats to security. Interestingly, compared to last year, the level of concern over Russia’s attempts to restore its influence in the region has decreased slightly—from 62% to 56%.