Only 1 in 10 Europeans See U.S. as Ally

A significant decline in European trust towards the United States is evident, with a recent survey revealing that only 10% of Europeans view America as an ally. This figure marks a record low, down from 16% six months prior and 22% in November 2024.

The findings, released ahead of key G7 and NATO summits, underscore a growing European skepticism about the U.S. as a dependable security partner. The survey, conducted in May 2026 across 15 European nations including Germany, France, and the UK, involved individuals aged 18 and over.

Across the surveyed countries, a majority expressed doubts about whether the U.S. would defend them if attacked. This sentiment is coupled with a growing European desire for increased defense spending, up by 4 percentage points from the previous year. Portugal, Denmark, and the Netherlands showed the highest support for European defense initiatives and a shift towards purchasing military equipment from European sources, rather than relying on the U.S.

An exception to this trend is Poland, where the majority still favors acquiring U.S. weaponry. Meanwhile, countries like Italy, Austria, and Germany showed significant opposition to cutting domestic public spending to increase defense budgets. On energy policy, 44% of Europeans oppose resuming oil and gas imports from Russia, despite rising costs. Most respondents continue to view Ukraine as an ally, though support for deploying peacekeepers or further EU expansion eastward has weakened. Notably, a majority in most surveyed nations, excluding Bulgaria, anticipate an improvement in U.S.-Europe relations after the departure of President Donald Trump.