Most Europeans think Russia should join EU

Half of Europeans are in favour of Russia joining the EU, according to a poll carried out by the Social Information Agency on behalf of Rosbalt. The agency's head, Roman Mogilevsky, said that a further 25% of those polled had a more positive than negative attitude towards Russia's potential entry into the union. Only 9% of respondents were against Russia's entry into the EU. The most welcoming attitudes were found in Rome (93%), Brussels (87%), Copenhagen (85%), Paris and Madrid (81%), and Helsinki (80%). The idea found least favour in London (64%), Oslo (60%), and Vienna (59%).

1,500 people from 12 major Western European cities took part in the poll. The cities were Amsterdam, Brussels, Copenhagen, Hamburg, Helsinki, London, Madrid, Oslo, Paris, Rome, Stockholm and Vienna. The poll was conducted in the native language of each country and took place between April 20 and May 5, 2003.