In relation to the strength of its economy, Poland already spends the most on defence among NATO countries. Despite this, 92 percent of Poles think that they should spend more.
This is the highest rate of all 9 east NATO flank states. Residents of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria authors of the GLOBSEC study just published Trends 2025 raised a number of questions about their views on safety and defence issues.
Even in countries where this rate is lowest compared to Poland, the majority of those asked want higher spending. Estonia is 62 percent in this last respect. On the full region, there are almost 3 out of all 4 respondents (73 percent).
This is only 1 of the many statistic contained in a study of more than 80 pages. In each of the 9 countries surveyed, surveyers questioned about a 1000 people selected accidentally, but typical in terms of gender, age, education, residence and the size of the village.
Slovakia would only defend 1 in 2 of its inhabitants
GLOBSEC, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, publishes its Trends for the tenth time. The figures presented in these polls amazed many times, specified as answers to the question asked in 2023 who was liable for the war of Russia against Ukraine. At the time, only 40 percent of Slovakia's population surveyed replied that Russia, “who invaded Ukraine”, had a 5th little than a year earlier. In turn, more than half (51 percent) were blamed on the West (34 percent) or Ukraine.
Also in the latest report, respondents from Slovakia likewise distinguished themselves among respondents from all countries of the region. In this country alone, the number of people ready to defend him in the event of aggression did not scope half and amounted to 49 percent. As many as 41 percent of Slovak respondents clearly replied that their homeland would not defend.
In the second from the end, 59 percent of respondents declared their willingness to defend on this Bulgarian diagram. Again, the highest rate of specified responses was recorded by researchers in Poland: 84 percent.
Poland is the most militant
Also answers to another questions from this year's GLOBSEC Trends indicate that Poland is the most militant in the full region. As many as 89 percent of Polish respondents believe that their country should make more opportunities to enlist in volunteer military service (such as the Territorial Defence Army). At the another end of the diagram were Hungary (65 percent) and Slovakia (68 percent).
The next illustration is poles with numbers of those who confirm that they would "defend [its country] in case it was attacked by another state", "if 1 of the NATO countries were attacked [my country] should aid defend it, along with another Alliance countries" and "[my country] should aid defend our NATO neighbours". all time Poland came first, just behind it the Czech Republic and Hungary (except for the last declaration).
The study besides shows that 85 percent of Polish respondents trust the armed forces of their country. That's another highest score. In Bulgaria's last ranking, only 53 percent of the survey participants trust their army.
In a possible referendum on Polexit, 94 percent of respondents would vote for remaining in NATO, and this is again the first place. But already Poland would not leave the European Union only 74 percent. In this case, not only Romania (whose 91 percent would like to stay in the Union), but besides Hungary, Lithuania and Latvia, and even Slovakia by 1 percent point.
Germany’s most crucial partner
The surveyed residents of 9 NATO east flank states could besides indicate in this year's survey 2 of their country's top strategical partners from six indicated by pollsters: 4 European Western states (US, UK, France and Germany) and 2 from the East (Russia and China).
As far as Western partners are concerned, there were no major surprises. Germany is simply a strategical country primarily for Czech residents (75 percent), but besides Lithuania, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Hungary (more than half). Poland was only behind them (42 percent).
Much more Polish residents, due to the fact that almost 2 thirds (66 percent), indicated the United States, which became the leader of the Polish ranking. The majority of residents of Romania, Lithuania and the Czech Republic (56, 46 and 40 percent) followed Poland.
The UK was voted primarily by respondents from Latvia, Poland and Estonia (38, 32 and 30 percent). France was most frequently indicated by Romanians and the Czechs (32 and 30 percent).
Some of the east polled elections are astounded. Russia as a strategical partner of its country indicated more than 1 3rd of Bulgarian residents (36 percent) and almost 1 3rd of Slovakia (32 percent), as well as 1 5th surveyed from Hungary (20 percent). And despite her aggression against Ukraine. Also, 1 in 5 Hungarian respondents (22 percent) indicated China.
GLOBSEC and its guests
Over 20 years, GLOBSEC has grown into 1 of the most crucial tankers in Europe, who deal with safety and defence issues. The GLOBSEC Forum and the GLOBSEC Conference of the Tatra Summit, organized annually, featured as crucial politicians as erstwhile US safety Advisor Zbigniew Brzeziński, French president Emmanuel Matron, and European Commission president Ursula von der Layen, who received the Czech and Slovak Transatlantic Prize.
In 2019, his European GLOBSEC Award was awarded by then president of the European Council Donald Tusk. Through video links, the president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenski appeared at the GLOBSEC Forum, a fewer months after the Russian invasion in 2022, and a year earlier Pope Francis.
The next GLOBSEC Forum will be held from 12 to 14 June in Prague.
