Survey: Only One in Ten Europeans Trust America

A new survey by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) think tank finds that only 11% of respondents across 15 European countries consider the United States an ally sharing their interests and values, reflecting a sharp decline in transatlantic confidence.

For the first time, a majority of respondents doubt that the US would come to their aid in the event of an attack. Respondents expressed greater confidence in support from fellow European nations than from Washington.

The poll also points to growing support for strengthening European defense and reducing reliance on US military equipment. A "buy European" approach is gaining ground across multiple countries, and willingness to increase defense spending is rising, though most respondents oppose cuts to domestic public spending to fund it.

Only a minority supports replacing NATO with a purely European defense structure. However, a majority expects relations between Europe and the US to improve once Donald Trump leaves office.

The survey was conducted in May across 15 European countries, including France, Germany, Hungary, Poland and the United Kingdom.

(guardian, bak)