A majority of Europeans support establishing a unified European Union army amid growing concerns about the United States' role in maintaining security across the continent. The findings come from GLOBSEC’s Trends 2026 survey, as reported by Politico.

According to the survey, 71% of respondents favor creating a common European army, while nearly 80% believe Europe needs to strengthen its defense capabilities.

Support for a unified EU military is highest in Romania, where 82% of those surveyed backed the proposal. Lithuania follows with 78%, while 75% of respondents in France support the initiative. Approximately 70% of participants in Poland and Bulgaria favor establishing an EU army, compared with 69% in Germany.

The research also revealed substantial distrust of Washington among Europeans. More than one-third of respondents regard the United States as a potential threat to European security.

Such concerns are particularly widespread in Germany, France and the United Kingdom, where approximately half of those surveyed share this view. In Central and Eastern European countries, around one-third of respondents consider the United States a security threat.

Germany was the only country included in the study where a majority of respondents explicitly identified the United States as a threat to security.

The survey also found considerable support for reinstating compulsory military service. In countries that have abolished conscription, 64% of respondents favor bringing it back.

However, the desire for greater European military independence does not translate into widespread opposition to NATO. Among respondents in NATO member states, 77% support maintaining their countries' membership in the alliance.

Meanwhile, 78% of respondents in EU countries believe Europe should develop its own defense capabilities while continuing to cooperate within NATO.