A Threat Next Door? Causal Evidence that Russia's Invasion Increased Willingness to Fight in the Czech Republic but Not in Uruguay
Year: 2025

Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 marked a turning point in European security politics. In this context, the population's willingness to fight is often interpreted as an indicator of societal inclination toward military self-defense and a precondition for strengthening defensive capacities. Yet, causal evidence on what shapes this willingness remains limited, and studies on the effects of Russia's invasion on public attitudes have been largely confined to European countries. I employ