A majority of Estonian residents believe it is necessary to increase the country’s defence spending — a figure that has grown by ten percent compared to last year. In addition, nearly a quarter of respondents (23%) support maintaining defence spending at its current level, according to the results of the Ministry of Defence’s annual public opinion survey.
“The results clearly show how important security and personal readiness to contribute to national defence are for the people of Estonia. This societal attitude provides a strong foundation for our future decisions and actions. I thank the people of Estonia for their trust — it enables us to turn every euro into maximum defence capability. This is our shared investment in freedom,” said Ministry of Defence Permanent Secretary Kaimo Kuusk.
Support for national defence remains consistently high. According to the survey, the vast majority (82%) of respondents believe that a potential military attack should be met with armed resistance. Last year, the same figure stood at 81%.
A significant portion (62%) of Estonians are also willing to participate in defence activities within the limits of their abilities and skills — slightly more than last year’s 61%.
Support for Estonia’s NATO membership has reached an unprecedented level, with 83% of the population in favour — the highest figure since the national defence public opinion survey was first conducted in 2000. While support among ethnic Estonians remains extremely high at 93%, there has been a significant jump among respondents of other nationalities, increasing by seven percentage points to 60%.
“It is worth highlighting the consistently high readiness of the population to take part in defence activities, as well as the strong support for NATO membership. These figures confirm trust in both domestic and international defence mechanisms. There is a healthy dose of confidence here. After all, we are NATO,” Kuusk added.
The survey “Public Opinion on National Defence” was conducted by Kantar Emor on behalf of the Ministry of Defence. The survey, held in March 2025, included 1,636 Estonian residents aged 15–74 and was conducted both online and by phone.
The Ministry of Defence has commissioned regular public opinion surveys since 2000. The survey is carried out once a year.
Survey report: National Defence and Society | Kaitseministeerium
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