“What is your idea of the United States?” asked the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) two years ago to the population of dozens of European Union countries. In January 2023, the Pan-European Center for Research and Impact asked them much the same question, and the answer is slightly different. More than a year after the outbreak of war in Ukraine, a growing segment sees the United States not only as “partner needed“, But how”ally“.
The difference is that “minor but significant“, the analytical center notes, pointing to the particularly remarkable development in Germany and Denmark. Thus, in 2023, 32% of Germans and 52% of Danes consider Washington to be an ally of their country. In 2021, they were 19% and 35%, respectively, seeing it as an ally of Europe. The view of an “indispensable partner” declines slightly, to 33 and 32 percent in 2023, compared to 39 and 38 percent in 2021.
Therefore, the concept of “ally” now prevails in the Nordic kingdom, as in the UK: 44%, against 40% of respondents who see the United States as a necessary partner (2021 wave figures not available).