Less Than Half of Estonians Believe in Assistance of NATO in Case of Conflict

According to reports, only 44 percent of Estonians believe that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization will provide help in case of potential military threat.

TALLINN (Sputnik) – Only 44 percent of Estonians believe that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) will provide help in case of potential military threat, the results of an opinion poll carried out for the country's Defense Ministry showed on Thursday.

"44 per cent of the respondents find that NATO would provide direct military assistance in the event of an impending threat to Estonia, 21 per cent believe that membership in NATO would be able to prevent a military conflict completely. 14 per cent think that NATO would limit its aid only to political and diplomatic support and 11 per cent believe that there is no hope for help from NATO," the report, summing up the results of the survey conducted by independent research company Turu-uuringute AS, said.

Over 1,200 Estonians aged between 15 and 74 participated in the survey.

According to the poll, Estonia's membership of NATO is supported by 71 percent of respondents, while the alliance's troops presence in Estonia is favored by 68 percent of the respondents.

Estonia joined NATO in 2004. The organization's guidelines oblige the bloc's member countries to assist each other in the event of military conflict.

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