79% of Germans see Russia as greatest threat to global peace
The vast majority of Germans perceive Russia as the biggest threat to global peace and feel increasingly less secure.
According to German newspaper FAZ, the Russo-Ukrainian war, the re-election of Donald Trump as US president, and widespread concerns about insufficient preparedness for war and disasters have contributed to a decline in Germans’ sense of security.
The survey conducted by the Allensbach Institute shows that the proportion of people who feel safe in Germany has dropped by one percentage point to 60% compared to 2024. This figure ranged from 71% to 82% between 2019 and 2022.
Currently, 61% of Germans are highly concerned that their country could be drawn into a military conflict. Additionally, 79% of respondents believe that Russia poses the greatest threat to global peace.
The number of people convinced that the United States is the biggest threat to world peace has risen sharply between 2024 and 2025 – from 24% to 46%. "Germans no longer see the US as a reliable alliance partner," said Klaus Schweinsberg, Chairman of the Centre for Strategy and Higher Leadership.
However, trust in NATO remains steadfast.
The data also shows that only one in ten Germans believes the country is well-prepared for war or disasters. Meanwhile, 43% of respondents said Germany is "not very well" prepared, while another 39% consider the country’s preparedness to be "extremely poor".
Germans suspect shortcomings particularly in emergency medical response strategy and the protection of critical infrastructure from cyberattacks.
"Ensuring security is one of the state’s core responsibilities, and citizens increasingly feel that consistency is lacking in this area," said Renate Köcher, Director of the Allensbach Institute for Public Opinion Research.
In autumn 2024, the fear of a potential war in Europe ranked as the top concern among young Germans.
In December 2024, another survey showed that Western Europe’s willingness to support Ukraine until victory sharply declined.