Ukrainians' favorability toward US drops as trust in EU wavers, poll reveals
Photo: How Ukrainians feel about the US and the EU (Getty Images)
Ukrainians' level of trust in the US as an international partner has significantly decreased, while their attitude toward the European Union remains cautiously positive, but with a noticeable degree of skepticism, according to Anton Hrushetskyi, executive director of the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS).
Level of trust in US
According to a sociological survey conducted by KIIS, only about 20% of Ukrainians currently trust the US as a state. At the same time, almost half of those surveyed expressed distrust, and another third were unable to decide. At the same time, positive attitudes toward Americans themselves remain very high, at around 90%.
Hrushetski notes that this difference between sympathy for the people and trust in the state explains why Ukrainians are not ready to take the US at its word regarding security guarantees and deterrence of Russia.
Level of trust in EU
Ukrainians trust the European Union more, but even here, there is no complete unanimity. About half of the respondents expressed trust in the EU, about 20% do not trust it, and another 27% are undecided. Overall, attitudes toward Europe have remained virtually unchanged in recent times.
Hrushetskyi notes that despite accumulated questions and complaints about the EU, Ukrainians continue to perceive Europe as an important and relatively reliable partner, whose support is important for the moral and psychological state of society.
The sociologist also notes that after 2022, age and regional differences in attitudes toward the EU have largely disappeared. Whereas young people used to be much more pro-European, the views of different demographic groups have now largely converged.
At the same time, KIIS data reveal a striking paradox: about 90% of Ukrainians support Ukraine's accession to the European Union, but only about half of those surveyed trust the EU itself. This indicates a critical but pragmatic attitude—Ukrainians want to see their country in the EU, while being aware of the limitations and problems in interacting with European partners.
Earlier, RBC-Ukraine reported on the results of a KIIS poll on Ukrainians' attitudes toward the duration of the war. Most citizens are prepared to endure the war for as long as necessary, while the proportion of those who cannot predict when it will end is growing. Fewer Ukrainians expect a quick end to the fighting, and only a quarter expect the war to end in the relatively near future.
We also wrote about Volodymyr Zelenskyy's statement on peace talks. The President notes that the US really wants to end the war, but for Ukraine, it is not the fact of peace itself that is key, but its terms. Zelenskyy stressed that Russia cannot be trusted, so Kyiv insists on clear security guarantees to avoid a repeat of the war.
