Lithuanians’ trust in NATO and the European Union has increased over the past year, as has their support for the EU’s further enlargement, the latest Eurobarometer survey showed on Tuesday.
Around 64 percent of Lithuanians say they trust the EU, 5 percent more compared to a year before. In the EU on average, the level of trust remains stable at 47 percent. Lithuania and Denmark have the lowest levels of distrust in the EU at 24 percent, according to the report.
Growing trust in NATO
Trust in NATO has increased in Lithuania and most other EU countries over the year. In Lithuania, 70 percent of the respondents say they trust the alliance (8 percent more than a year ago), compared to the EU average of 50 percent (5 percent increase).
The highest levels of trust in NATO are in Denmark (86 percent), the Netherlands (76 percent), and Finland (75 percent).
Finland, which has applied for NATO membership, also recorded the largest year-on-year increase (24 percent) in trust in the alliance. Sweden, the other Nordic country invited to join NATO, registered a 7 percent increase, while Latvia, Poland, and France each saw trust in the organisation grow by 11 percent.
Estonia was the only country to record a major decline of 22 percent in trust in NATO over the year.
In favour of EU enlargement
In the latest survey, 73 percent of Lithuanians said they would support further enlargement of the EU, up from 68 percent a year ago. In the EU on average, the number increased by 5 percent to 52 percent.
“This increase is likely to be a consequence of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine’s possible membership of the European Union is gaining public support,” the survey’s authors said.
Also, 56 percent of Lithuanians have a positive image of the EU, higher than the bloc's average of 45 percent. Ireland has the highest share of citizens with a positive image of the EU (74 percent), while the Czech Republic and Slovakia have the lowest (32 percent).
The survey shows strong support for a common EU defence and security policy both in Lithuania and in the EU on average, at 86 percent and 77 percent, respectively.
However, the percentage of those who think so in Lithuania fell by 3 points year-on-year.
The Eurobarometer survey was carried out in all EU countries between January and February. Some 1,003 citizens aged 15 and over were interviewed in Lithuania.
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