Poll: Majority Believes NATO’s Aspirations to Expand Eastwards Caused War in Ukraine  

Miljan Mladenovic (BETAPHOTO/AMIR HAMZAGIC)

The largest number of the polled Serbian citizens believe that the war in Ukraine was caused by NATO’s aspirations to expand eastwards, shows a survey titled “The War in Ukraine and Public Opinion in Serbia,” conducted by organization Novi treci put (New Third Way).  

The survey coordinator Miljan Mladenovic has told reporters at Media Center that 59 percent of the polled blame the West for the conflict, 23 percent believe that Russia largely bears the blame, while 18 percent split the blame between Russia and the West.  

As many 14 percent of the respondents believe that the war could spill over into other countries, 33 percent that the war will probably not be spreading and 20 percent are sure that it will stay within Ukraine, according to Mladenovic.  

The survey also shows that 55 percent of the polled back Serbia’s current policy, while 26 percent do not support it.  

In regard to Serbia’s current position, 36 percent of the respondents view it as neutral, seven percent believe that Belgrade is siding with Russia, while a mere one percent think that Serbia has taken the side of the West.