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Cyprus the only EU state where majority disagrees that Russia is to blame for Ukraine war

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A poll has found that Cyprus is the only EU nation where an absolute majority disagrees or tends to disagree that Russian authorities are first and foremost responsible for the war in Ukraine.

The poll, a flash Eurobarometer survey which was commissioned by the European Commission, also found that Cypriots were the most unhappy amongst the nations surveyed with the response of Nato and the US.

Cyprus was also found to be the only member state where less than half of those surveyed supported sanctions against wealthy Russians (oligarchs).

Specifically, 51 per cent of Cypriots either totally disagree (23 per cent) or tend to disagree (28 per cent) that Russian authorities are responsible first and foremost for the current situation in Ukraine.

Those figures are particularly stark considering that 52 per cent of respondents across the nations totally agree that Russian authorities are responsible first and foremost for the current situation and 26 per cent tend to agree.

After Cyprus was Bulgaria (46 per cent) and Greece (45 per cent) who did not primarily blame Russia – compared to only six per cent of Finns and seven per cent of Poles, while the EU average was 17 per cent.

Respondents in Cyprus (18 per cent), Greece (24 per cent) and Bulgaria (30 per cent) are again the least likely to be satisfied with the Nato response, while those in Denmark (69 per cent) were the most likely to be satisfied.

Those in Cyprus are also amongst the least likely to trust the various information sources regarding the war in Ukraine, with the proportion trusting European authorities on this matter ranging from 39 per cent in Greece, 41 per cent in Bulgaria and 42 per cent in Cyprus, to 85 per cent in both Finland and Portugal.

Respondents in Cyprus and Greece were also the least likely to identify themselves more with Europe since the start of the war with only 19 per cent and 25 per cent doing so respectively. That again is in stark contrast to those at the top end of the country ranking, such as Latvia, Lithuania and Poland (60 per cent, 67 per cent and 60 per cent, respectively) who are now more likely to identify themselves more with Europe.

Those in Cyprus and Bulgaria are again the least likely to approve financing the purchase and supply of military equipment to Ukraine, with only 30-31 per cent in favour respectively – compared to 90 per cent of Finns.

As for the sanctions, the poll found that support for economic sanctions targeting Russia is high in the majority of EU countries – with 70 per cent or more respondents approving of the move in 21 countries. In two countries, fewer than half of respondents approve economic sanctions against Russia: Bulgaria (44 per cent) and Cyprus (48 per cent).

At the other end of the country ranking, 91-93 per cent approve of economic sanctions targeting Russia in Finland, Poland and Portugal.

Support for sanctions against wealthy Russians (oligarchs) shows a comparable pattern: the share approving such sanctions ranges from 46 per cent in Cyprus, 53 per cent in Greece and 58 per cent in Bulgaria, to 90 per cent in both Finland and Portugal and 91 per cent in Poland.

Elsewhere, an absolute majority agree that Ukraine is part of the European family in all but two countries (Bulgaria and Cyprus, although also in these two countries a relative majority agree). Proportionally, the share agreeing that Ukraine is part of the European family ranges from 48 per cent in both Bulgaria and Cyprus, to 84 per cent in Sweden, 85 per cent in Poland, 86 per cent in Portugal and 87 per cent in Finland.

Ipsos European Public Affairs interviewed a representative sample of EU citizens, aged 15 and over, in each of the 27 member states of the EU between 13 April and 20 April 2022

The commission stated the key aim as being to obtain input from citizens in the EU countries regarding their attitudes on the EU’s response to the war in Ukraine.

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