(AFP) – Three-quarters of Europeans hold a negative view of the United States, a sharp jump compared to late last year, according to a wide-ranging survey published on Friday. Based on polling across the EU’s 27 member states, the share of people with an unfavourable opinion of the United States has risen 14 points since October-November 2025, to hit 74 percent. Just 24 percent of Europeans now view the country positively, the Eurobarometer survey found.
By comparison, 83 percent of EU citizens polled held a negative view of Russia, 61 percent of China, and 41 percent of India. The shift coincides with a period of acute transatlantic tensions as US President Donald Trump has targeted the EU with waves of tariffs, threatened Greenland’s sovereignty, and launched a new war in the Middle East.
The European Commission declined to comment on the survey findings. “The US is an important partner for us, and we work with them constructively on all the topics of common interest we have with them,” said commission spokeswoman Arianna Podesta.
At the same time, 73 percent of respondents described the European Union as a “place of stability in a troubled world.” The survey found overwhelming support for deeper EU cooperation on defence and security, with 81 percent backing a common policy in the area — the highest level in 20 years. The poll was conducted from mid-March to early April across all 27 EU member states, with more than 26,000 people interviewed.
© 2024 AFP
