In Austria, about 42% of respondents said they support the participation of Austrian soldiers in a potential peacekeeping mission in Ukraine, while 44% opposed this.
According to Ukrinform, this was reported by the APA, citing data from a Gallup poll.
“42% of respondents can imagine Austrian soldiers being sent to ensure peace, while 44% oppose this; 14% expressed no clear opinion,” the report said.
Among those who support Austrian troops taking part in a mission in Ukraine, the majority are people under 30 (55%), those with higher education (53%), as well as supporters of the Green Party (63%) and NEOS (55%). The highest level of rejection is observed among sympathizers of the far-right and pro-Russian Freedom Party (FPÖ) – 66%.
According to the survey, 53% of Austrians support the deployment of EU peacekeeping forces in Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire, 27% are against, and 20% remain undecided.
The poll also showed that the overwhelming majority of Austrians believe their country is primarily a diplomatic player in international politics. In particular, 79% of respondents consider non-military peacekeeping missions to be in line with Austria’s neutrality. Moreover, 82% agree that Austria, as a neutral state, should actively pursue peace policy and act as a mediator in international conflicts.
As Ukrinform reported, planning teams of the Coalition of the Willing will meet with American colleagues in the coming days to discuss providing Ukraine with reliable security guarantees and preparing for the deployment of deterrence forces in case of a ceasefire.
Around a dozen countries have already expressed readiness to send troops to Ukraine as part of international security guarantees after the end of hostilities.
Photo: Bundeswehr
Source: Survey: 42% of Austrians support participation in peacekeeping mission in Ukraine
