Balgarianovinite.com A recent poll covering 15 European countries shows that 7% of Bulgarians firmly view the United States as an ally, 44% as a “necessary partner”, 11% as an adversary with whom cooperation is necessary, and 15% as a country with which Bulgaria is in conflict.
In addition to transatlantic relations, the poll, commissioned by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), also examines individual countries’ relations with the European Union, support for Ukraine, security and defence, and energy independence. The study was published on the ECFR website on June 10 and presented in Sofia on Monday by Maria Simeonova, Head of ECFR Sofia Office.
Data on the three largest Bulgarian parliamentary parties shows that 49% of supporters of the ruling party, Progressive Bulgaria (PB), view the United States as an ally, compared with 73% of GERB supporters and 71% of supporters of Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (PP-DB), Simeonova said.
Among the 15 countries surveyed, Bulgarians have the lowest level of confidence that the United States would come to their aid if necessary. PB voters are the most skeptical, with 75% saying they do not believe the United States would respond, compared with 51% of GERB supporters and 73% of PP-DB supporters.
Concerning the future of the transatlantic relationship between Europe and the United States, 36% of Bulgarian respondents say that US President Donald Trump has permanently damaged ties between Europe and the United States and that they could not be restored even after he leaves office. Supporters of PB and PP-DB express similar views, while a smaller share of GERB supporters hold this position.
The survey found that Bulgaria is the only country in which citizens believe that no other European country would come to its aid in the event of need. Some 23% say Bulgaria would receive no support, while 12% say other European countries would definitely come to its assistance.
Regarding Ukraine, 26% of Bulgarians view it as a necessary partner, 37% say they do not know, and 19% regard it as an enemy. Among party supporters, 28% of PB voters express a positive attitude towards Ukraine, as do 69% of GERB supporters and 72% of PP-DB enthusiasts.
Among the countries surveyed, Bulgaria records the most negative attitudes towards sending military aid to Ukraine. The strongest opposition again comes from PB supporters, with 87% opposed, followed by GERB supporters at 64% and PP-DB supporters at 57%.
The findings are similar regarding the deployment of troops in the event of a Russian attack on the Baltic states. Some 86% of PB supporters oppose such a move, as did 60% of GERB supporters and 45% of PP-DB voters.
On security and defence issues, Bulgarians support both the purchase of weapons from Europe and the creation of an alternative nuclear deterrent that does not rely on the United States, the survey found. Bulgaria also supports increased defence spending and participation in joint European debt to finance defence expenditure. Bulgarians are likewise not skeptical about higher defence budgets. All surveyed countries except Poland oppose purchasing weapons from the United States.
When asked whether the European Union should continue expanding eastwards, including to Ukraine, Bulgaria expresses a negative view. On western enlargement, however, respondents are neutral.
The survey found that Bulgarian respondents are divided on the issue of importing fuels from Russia. Overall, 85% of PB supporters favour imports from Russia, along with 36% of GERB supporters and 39% of PP-DB supporters. As an alternative, 51% of PB supporters favour prioritizing the development of renewable energy sources, along with 64% of GERB supporters and 75% of PP-DB supporters.
The survey shows that Bulgarians’ greatest concerns are a potential economic crisis and the possibility of being drawn into a war by the United States or into a new war by Europe.
Asked how willing they would be to defend their own country, 51% of respondents among the PB electorate say they would be prepared to defend Bulgaria. The figure is 57% among GERB supporters and 33% among PP-DB supporters.
The poll was conducted by Mandate Research, YouGov, and Turu-uuringute in Estonia. It was carried out online or by telephone between April 30 and May 19, 2026, among 19,481 respondents (adult citizens, including 1,013 Bulgarians) in 15 European countries: Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Survey Finds Bulgarians Most Skeptical of US Security Guarantees in Europe 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-06-22 18:39:00 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law