Ifop for La Tribune du Dimanche asked the French how they view the conflict in Ukraine, and what forms of involvement France and its partners might envisage.
A majority of French people support the reinforcement of national military capabilities: 58% say they are in favor of increasing the budget for the armed forces, twice as many as the 28% who are opposed. This support is particularly marked among people aged 65 and over (69%) and supporters of the presidential majority (86%).
On the other hand, support for supplying arms to Ukraine appears more fragile. 47% of French people approve of such deliveries, against 39% who disapprove, a narrow gap. This level marks a significant decline since the start of the conflict: in March 2022, 65% of French people approved of this aid, a drop of 18 points.
In the event of a ceasefire, the French overwhelmingly favor collective management of the conflict: 58% believe that other countries, including the United States, should participate in Ukraine’s security, compared with only 17% who favor European intervention alone.
On the other hand, the French are divided on the question of sending French soldiers to Ukraine as part of a ceasefire: 40% are in favor, versus 43% who are opposed. Support is highest among executives (57%) and supporters of the presidential majority (71%), but significantly lower among the working classes (31%) and supporters of the Rassemblement National (27%).
Finally, a relative majority of French people (53% versus 31%) believe that Emmanuel Macron is right to want to resume dialogue with Vladimir Putin, a sign of the majority’s openness to a resumption of diplomatic exchanges, particularly among supporters of the presidential majority (69%).
