Majority of Poles and Nearly Half of Czechs Back Ukraine’s Victory

A recent survey conducted by the Central European Digital Media Observatory (CEDMO) reveals that 68% of Poles and 44% of Czechs want Ukraine to win in Russia’s war. The findings were published ahead of the third anniversary of the full-scale invasion, according to České Noviny on February 5.

The survey highlights varying levels of support for Ukraine across Central European nations. In Poland, support for Ukraine’s victory is the highest, with 68% of respondents in favor. In the Czechia, 44% expressed the same view, while in Slovakia, less than a third of those surveyed supported Ukraine’s victory.

Among the three countries, Slovaks were the most likely to favor a Russian victory, with 17% of respondents expressing this view. In Czechia, 7% supported Russia, while in Poland, the figure stood at 4%.

A significant portion of respondents in all three countries preferred a negotiated settlement without a clear winner. Nearly 40% of respondents in the Czechia supported this scenario, compared to one-third in Slovakia and 20% in Poland.

Support for Ukraine varies across age groups. In Czechia, younger respondents aged 16 to 24 were the most likely to favor Ukraine’s victory, with 62% expressing this preference. In Slovakia, younger demographics also showed the strongest support for Ukraine.

In Poland, however, the highest level of support for Ukraine was found among older respondents. According to CEDMO analyst Lukáš Kutíl, 79% of Poles aged 65 and older backed Ukraine’s victory.

The survey also assessed concerns about the future of the war. The most common fear among respondents in the Czechia and Slovakia was that the war could continue for many years—67% of Czechs and 71% of Slovaks expressed this concern.

Additionally, 55% of Czechs and three-fifths of Slovaks feared that the war could escalate into a direct war between Russia and NATO. More than half of respondents in both countries were also concerned that fighting could move closer to their borders.

Earlier, Ukraine and Poland signed a memorandum on defense industry cooperation in Kyiv, formalizing joint initiatives in ammunition production, armored vehicle maintenance, and air defense enhancement. The agreement, signed between Ukroboronprom and the Polish Armaments Group (PGZ), also includes plans for joint ventures and localization of Polish defense production in Ukraine.

Additionally, Czechia launched a second initiative to secure ammunition for Ukraine’s military, calling on EU member states to join the effort. Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský emphasized the need for political will and ongoing funding discussions. This follows a previous initiative in which Prague coordinated the purchase of artillery shells from third countries, with the first batch arriving in Ukraine last June.