In Some EU Countries, People See Greater Threat from the U.S. than China, with Russia as the Obvious Enemy

According to a new survey conducted by Politico, the populations of six European Union countries view the United States during Donald Trump's presidency as more of a threat than an ally. This research, which covered Poland, Spain, Belgium, France, Germany, and Italy, found that only 12% of respondents consider the U.S. a close ally, while 36% perceive it as a threat.

Interestingly, the threat posed by China is considered to be lesser, with only 29% of respondents in these six countries identifying China as a threat. On a national level, the perception of the U.S. as a threat exceeds that of China in four out of the six countries surveyed. The exceptions are France and Poland, where respondents view the threat from China as greater.

Russia, according to the survey results, is seen as the obvious enemy, with 70% of all respondents identifying it as a threat. The most negative views towards the U.S. were found among residents of Spain, where 51% stated that Washington poses a threat to Europe, the highest percentage among those surveyed. In Italy, 46% of respondents also consider the U.S. a threat, while 42% of Belgians, 37% of French respondents, and 30% of Germans share this sentiment.

Poland stands out as an exception in this survey, as the country shares a border with Russia and views its alliance with the U.S. as a crucial security guarantee. Only 13% of respondents in Poland believe that the U.S. poses a risk.

The survey, named European Pulse, was conducted by Cluster17 for Politico and beBartlet. It included 6,698 Europeans from Spain, Germany, France, Italy, Poland, and Belgium, with data collection taking place from March 13 to March 21.

It is worth noting that previously, Donald Trump expressed serious doubts about the future of the United States in NATO during an interview with the British newspaper The Telegraph, stating that he was considering the possibility of the country withdrawing from the alliance. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also indicated that after the conflict in Iran, the United States would reassess the necessity of its NATO membership.

Moreover, Trump expressed his dissatisfaction with NATO, which he claimed intensified after allies failed to understand his desire to annex Greenland, a territory of Denmark. These statements underscore the growing tensions between the U.S. and its European allies, as well as Europeans' attitudes towards American policies amid global challenges.