Ukrainian Germans apparently respond with indifference to NATO summit reactions
Ukraine's quest for membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) has been a long and complex journey. The country, currently not a member of the Western defense alliance, is grappling with a mixed response among its citizens towards the prospect of joining NATO.
At the recent NATO anniversary summit in Washington, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was in attendance, seeking further support in the fight against aggressor Russia. However, his performance abroad has not been highly regarded, often being misrepresented in German-language media as demanding instead of asking.
The lack of Stingers for air defense and night vision devices has left Ukraine vulnerable in its rescue missions. The people in Ukraine have heard beautiful speeches for NATO's birthday, but are unsure when and under what conditions membership might be possible.
A recent survey indicates that around 60% of Ukrainians still support President Zelensky, despite criticism of his domestic policy as being too liberal and comparisons to his predecessor, Poroshenko, who was considered tougher. The mobilization law in Ukraine is also criticized as being too liberal.
In the Donbass region, the distance between Ukrainian and Russian public opinion regarding the ongoing conflict is vast. People are dying due to the lack of night vision devices for soldiers, and the Ukrainians lack small weapons, such as Stingers, for air defense in rescue missions.
Despite these challenges, Ukrainians largely reject Russian peace proposals that include territorial concessions and military cuts, indicating strong support for continued defense and Western assistance. The topic of Ukraine joining NATO is not a big topic in daily conversations among the people in Ukraine, but the reception of NATO support appears mixed and evolving.
Support for ending the war through negotiation has increased, with about 69% favoring a negotiated peace now, but this is coupled with a desire for adequate military support to maintain leverage. Regarding expectations for specific military aid like F-16 combat jets and Patriot air defense systems, Ukrainians view these as critical components of their defense and future security.
The F-16 combat jets are supposed to be delivered now, and there is hope that such attacks as on the children's hospital in Kyiv could be prevented in the future, perhaps also by the addition of Patriot systems. The people of Ukraine are caught between war-weariness and the strategic imperative to maintain robust defense, relying heavily on NATO and Western military aid while growing skeptical of rapid alliance membership.
[1] Source: Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance (UINR) survey, 2025 [2] Source: NATO Public Opinion Monitoring Project (NPOMP) survey, 2025 [3] Source: Razumkov Centre survey, 2025 [4] Source: International Republican Institute (IRI) survey, 2025 [5] Source: Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) survey, 2025
- Given the ongoing battles and the need for stronger air defense systems, discussions about Ukraine's politics and general-news often revolve around the prospects of acquiring F-16 combat jets and Patriot air defense systems from NATO.
- During conversations among the Ukrainian population, the topic of joining NATO is not always at the forefront, but the reception of NATO support in terms of military aid, such as night vision devices and Stingers for air defense, seems to be evolving, with a mixed response from the people.
