A third of respondents (33%) to the latest wave of the representative CEDMO Trends survey declare their willingness to defend the Czech Republic with a weapon in hand if it is attacked. 43% of the Czech Republic’s population wants the war in Ukraine to end with a Ukrainian victory. Less than a tenth (8%), on the other hand, prefer a Russian victory. Over two-fifths of respondents (43%) believe that the European Union should negotiate with Russia to end the conflict in Ukraine. These facts emerged from the fourteenth wave of the CEDMO Trends longitudinal panel survey.
More than a third of respondents (33%) to the CEDMO Trends survey declare their willingness to defend the Czech Republic with a weapon in hand if attacked – men (44%) more often than women (23%). Petr Pavel’s voters in the second round of the presidential elections were more likely to answer positively (43%), whereas Andrej Babiš’ voters would defend their country only 27% of the time.
Willingness to defend the republic with a weapon in hand
Chart 1: Survey question “If the Czech Republic were attacked, would you be willing to defend it with a weapon in your hand?” N=2,794, Source: CEDMO Trends
43% of the Czech population would like to see an end to the war in Ukraine with a Ukrainian victory, and less than a tenth of Czechs (8%) support Russia. The conclusion of a temporary peace without one party’s victory is preferred by 38% of respondents – more women (43%) than men (32%). About a tenth (12%) are indifferent to the question of ending the conflict and chose the option ‘I don’t know, I don’t care’ from the answers offered.
The research also sought agreement with specific statements addressing respondents’ desired stance for the European Union on the war in Ukraine. The largest proportion of respondents (43%) expressed the belief that the European Union should negotiate with Russia to end the conflict. Fewer (32%) agreed with the statement that the European Union should further strengthen its sanctions policy towards Russia. Just under a third (30%) said Europe should support Ukraine non-militarily, and a quarter (25%) said it should support Ukraine militarily. The need to take a neutral stance towards both sides of the conflict was agreed by 25% of respondents. Slightly fewer (23%) believe that the European Union should put pressure on Ukraine to negotiate.
The end of the conflict in Ukraine
Chart 2: Survey question “How would you like the conflict in Ukraine to end?” N=2,794, Source: CEDMO Trends
“In the Czech Republic, 43% of people think the European Union should negotiate with Russia to end the conflict. This option was the most popular among people when it came to their stance on the conflict in Ukraine, with men (35%) more likely to mention it than women (25%) and people with a university degree (38%). It was also more likely to be mentioned by voters of Petr Pavel (41%) compared to voters of Andrej Babiš (20%) in the second round of the presidential election,” says Lukáš Kutil, a data analyst at the CEDMO hub.
EU position on the conflict in Ukraine
Chart 3: Survey question “The war in Ukraine has been going on for more than two years without a clear outcome for one side or the other. What position do you think the European Union should take towards this conflict?” N=2,794, Source: CEDMO Trends.
According to a majority of respondents (53%), the EU should not seek closer military cooperation. The reason for this belief is that 38% of respondents see the EU as a civilian and economic project. For 15% of respondents, the concern that European defense integration could undermine the functioning of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) plays a role. In contrast, less than a third of the population (30%) believe that European defense integration could work fruitfully alongside the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Just under a fifth of the participants (17%) think that the European Union should build its own army.
Closer military cooperation in the European Union
Chart 4: Survey question: ‘In the context of the ongoing war in Ukraine, there is a debate about the defense capabilities of the European Union. In your opinion, should the European Union seek closer military cooperation?” N=2,794, Source: CEDMO Trends
“Of the respondents who believe that the European Union should negotiate with Russia to end the conflict, less than a third (29%) also believe that European defense integration can work effectively alongside the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). In addition, 31% agree that the European Union should continue to strengthen its sanctions policy towards Russia, and 21% believe that the European Union should support Ukraine militarily. Respondents’ answers show that the public is very interested in ending the conflict, but this does not necessarily mean rejecting security measures,” concludes Lukáš Kutil.
