Nearly half of Europeans consider US President Donald Trump an "enemy of Europe", according to a recent survey. The poll, conducted by the Paris-based European affairs debate platform Le Grand Continent, reveals a stark sense of vulnerability among continent-wide respondents.
As tensions with Russia rise, nearly three-quarters of people across nine countries believe their country should stay in the EU, while more than two-thirds express doubts about its ability to defend itself against Russian aggression. The perception of Trump as an enemy is not uniform, however, with some nations viewing him as a hostile force. Belgium and France see him as an outright foe, while Croatia and Poland have lower percentages.
Despite this, Europeans still consider the US strategic in maintaining a balance of power on the continent. When asked what position the EU should adopt towards the US government, compromise is the most popular option. However, the risk of open war with Russia is seen as high by nearly half of respondents, with 51% regarding it as relatively high and 18% considering it very high.
The survey found that confidence in national military capabilities is low across the board, with over two-thirds of respondents expressing doubts about their country's ability to defend itself. Feelings of vulnerability are widespread, with tech and digital security being cited as a major threat. A strong demand for European help from Brussels emerged, with 69% backing EU membership.
Interestingly, the UK's decision to leave the EU five years ago is seen as a failure, with 63% of respondents believing it had a negative impact on Britain.
As tensions with Russia rise, nearly three-quarters of people across nine countries believe their country should stay in the EU, while more than two-thirds express doubts about its ability to defend itself against Russian aggression. The perception of Trump as an enemy is not uniform, however, with some nations viewing him as a hostile force. Belgium and France see him as an outright foe, while Croatia and Poland have lower percentages.
Despite this, Europeans still consider the US strategic in maintaining a balance of power on the continent. When asked what position the EU should adopt towards the US government, compromise is the most popular option. However, the risk of open war with Russia is seen as high by nearly half of respondents, with 51% regarding it as relatively high and 18% considering it very high.
The survey found that confidence in national military capabilities is low across the board, with over two-thirds of respondents expressing doubts about their country's ability to defend itself. Feelings of vulnerability are widespread, with tech and digital security being cited as a major threat. A strong demand for European help from Brussels emerged, with 69% backing EU membership.
Interestingly, the UK's decision to leave the EU five years ago is seen as a failure, with 63% of respondents believing it had a negative impact on Britain.
. All these countries are so different, but they all seem to be on edge when it comes to the US and Russia. I mean, can you imagine what it would be like if your biggest allies were at war? 
The idea that nearly half of Europeans see Trump as an enemy is unsettling. What's going through their minds? Do they really think he's just going to sit back and let Russia take over?
I guess that's why there's such a strong desire for European help from Brussels. We need to work together to feel safe again.
. But at the same time, I get why they still value US influence in Europe - we're talking balance of power here, right? 
The only thing that worries me is that most Europeans don't think their own countries can defend themselves... That's gotta be a pretty big red flag 
. And what's with the UK leaving the EU being seen as a failure? I mean, it was just one decision... Can't we give Brits a break? 
. It's like, you're already dealing with all these international tensions and then you've got this US president who seems to be causing even more drama 
. It's like, you need a strong leader and a solid defense system to feel secure, but instead, people are all "meh" 
. And the fact that tech and digital security are major concerns just adds to it - it's like, how can we even protect ourselves when hackers are basically everywhere? 
I mean, what's the real beef between us and the US anyway? Is it really about Trump or is it just a symptom of a bigger issue with globalization and politics? 
And yeah, tech and digital security is a huge threat, but I don't think we can just sit back and wait for someone else to save us... that's not exactly how this works, right? 