Britons oppose Ukraine no-fly zone by 39% to 28%

Matthew SmithHead of Data Journalism
March 04, 2022, 4:13 PM GMT+0

Conservative voters and older Britons are most opposed

With Russian attacks taking a heavy toll on civilians in Ukraine, some have called for NATO to set up a no-fly zone in the skies above the country, including Ukrainian journalist Daria Kaleniuk in a confrontation with Boris Johnson.

A no-fly zone would mean a commitment from NATO countries to shoot down any Russian military aircraft in the skies above Ukraine. For this reason, the prime minister said he was unwilling to commit to such a move, and that the consequences of doing so would be “truly very, very difficult to control”.

A new YouGov survey shows that there is limited appetite for a no-fly zone among British citizens. Only 28% say Britain and other NATO countries should establish such a zone, compared to 39% who say we should not, and 33% who are unsure.

Labour voters (32%) and 25-49 year olds (also 32%) are the most likely to support a no-fly zone. Both groups are closely split, with 34-35% being opposed, and the remaining third unsure.

By contrast, Conservatives and older Britons are the most opposed to a no-fly zone, with 49% of Tory voters and 46% of the over-65s saying that Britain and NATO should not establish one. Only a quarter of each group (25-26%) are in favour.

See the full results here

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