Interest among Czechs in the situation in Ukraine, which has faced Russian aggression for nearly three years, is waning. In the last quarter of 2024, just over two-fifths (43%) of the Czech population were interested in developments in Ukraine, representing a 14-percentage-point drop since the beginning of the year.
A recent survey conducted by the Public Opinion Research Centre (CVVM) between mid-September and late November 2024 examined whether people were interested in developments in Ukraine and whether they viewed the situation as a security threat to the Czech Republic, Europe, and global peace. The survey also explored public attitudes towards government support measures for Ukraine and potential actions by the international community.
The findings reveal that during the surveyed period, only slightly more than two-fifths (43%) of Czechs expressed interest in developments in Ukraine. Of these, 13% reported being “very interested,” while 30% described themselves as “somewhat interested.” Meanwhile, nearly three-fifths (57%) of respondents expressed no interest in the situation, with 36% stating they were “somewhat uninterested” and 21% declaring they were “not interested at all.”
Compared to the last similar survey at the start of 2024, interest in the situation in Ukraine has declined by 14 percentage points, reaching its lowest level since the onset of the open Russian military intervention in February 2022.
When compared to the peak interest in spring 2022, overall concern about developments in Ukraine has dropped by 35 percentage points. The proportion of those expressing “very strong interest” has fallen by 20 percentage points and has now shrunk to nearly one-third of the peak level.
A detailed analysis of respondents reveals that interest in events in Ukraine increases significantly with general political engagement and, to a lesser extent, with educational attainment and age. Men showed higher levels of interest than women. Respondents from large cities with over 50,000 inhabitants and highly qualified professionals or managers displayed particularly strong interest. Regarding party preferences, voters for SPOLU, STAN, the Pirates, and KSČM were more engaged than those supporting ANO or SPD.
A clear majority of citizens (73%) support the application of diplomatic pressure on Russia by the international community. Fewer than half (49%) would agree with the complete political and economic isolation of Russia. More than two-fifths favour financial aid (45%) and the provision of military equipment (42%) to Ukraine. On the other hand, only slightly more than one-tenth (11%) of the Czech public would endorse deploying soldiers to actively participate in the fighting.
