More than 66% of Romanians believe that NATO would help Romania in case of foreign military aggression, according to the Security Barometer of Romania conducted by the LARICS Sociological Research Center. Almost 37% count on help from the US, while only 5.4% believe that the military support would come from Russia.

However, as the question had multiple answers, the report also revealed that 73.3% of Romanians also consider the possibility that no one would help Romania.

Russia remains the main security threat to Romania (46.3% of respondents agreed with this statement). On the other hand, 78.2% of Romanians believe that NATO remains the best security guarantee.

The same barometer said that 43% of Romanians believe Romania has become a safer country after joining NATO.

Almost 69% of respondents see the current US president Joe Biden as a “man of peace,” unlike Donald Trump, seen rather as a “man of war” (56.3%). By comparison, only 33.3% of Romanians see Russian president Vladimir Putin as a “man of peace.”

According to the barometer, Romanians would prefer Romania to take a somewhat cautious position in international relations: 36.6% of respondents believe Romania should be as close to the EU as to the US, and 31.1% believe that the alliance with the EU and the US must not lead to disagreements with other states. 23.6% are firm pro-Europeans, 6.9% are firm pro-Americans.

The data for the Barometer were collected between April 12 and April 23, 2021 in Bucharest and in all counties of Romania based on a telephone questionnaire. The entire Security Barometer of Romania is available here.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

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