German Concerns Rise as 62% Fear Russian Attack on NATO Territory
BERLIN – A new survey reveals a meaningful increase in anxiety among Germans regarding potential Russian aggression, with 62 percent fearing a direct attack on a NATO member state. The heightened concern follows recent incidents involving Russian drones entering Polish airspace, a NATO country.
The survey, conducted by the opinion research institute Insa on behalf of Bild am Sonntag, polled 1002 respondents and found that nearly two-thirds believe Poland or Lithuania could be targets in the near future.28 percent of those surveyed do not share this fear, while 10 percent remain undecided. This apprehension stems from Wednesday’s events where a large number of Russian drones breached Polish airspace during an air raid on Ukraine, with Polish and allied NATO forces intercepting some of them.
Military analysts are reportedly skeptical that the drone incursions were accidental, raising questions about whether they were intended as a deliberate provocation, a test of NATO air defenses, or programmed to strike targets within NATO territory.
The survey also indicates strong support for increased economic pressure on Russia. 49 percent of respondents advocate for an immediate halt to all Russian oil and gas deliveries to the EU, while 33 percent favor continuing current sanctions and 11 percent are unsure. Moreover, 51 percent support utilizing frozen Russian assets within the EU to aid Ukraine, a proposal recently put forward by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who clarified the EU would not directly confiscate the assets but rather use them for a “reparation loan.”
