Zelenskyy's rating: Level of Ukrainians' trust in president changes
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
In September-October 2024, 59% of Ukrainians trust President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, while 37% do not trust him. These figures have remained virtually unchanged since May, according to a survey conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS).
According to sociologists, after the presidential and parliamentary elections in 2019, 80% of Ukrainians trusted Zelenskyy. However, by February 2022, the level of trust gradually decreased to 37%, with more people expressing distrust just before the Russian invasion.
Following the outbreak of war, trust levels soared to 90%. By the end of December 2023, trust had decreased to 77%, falling to 64% by February 2024, and then to 59% by May 2024. Meanwhile, between May and September 2024, the figures remained almost unchanged.
Commenting on the situation, KIIS Deputy Director Anton Grushetskyi said that there is still a fairly high level of trust in President Zelenskyy, “especially considering the challenges of wartime, the uncertain future, and possible individual missteps by the government team.”
“At the same time, the situation is very dynamic, and a significant portion of the population sways between trust and distrust depending on current events and decisions made by the president and his team,” he said.
He said that “many aspects of the internal and external situation are beyond the control of the president and his team, but to maintain current trust levels and overall legitimacy, it is essential to uphold transparent and sincere communication with society.”
The Kyiv International Institute of Sociology conducted its survey from September 20 to October 3, 2024, among 2,004 respondents. The sample did not include residents of territories temporarily not controlled by the Ukrainian authorities.
Over the past year, trust in Ukrainian governmental institutions has significantly declined. According to a survey conducted by the National Democratic Institute (NDI) in May 2024, the Armed Forces of Ukraine enjoy the highest level of trust among Ukrainians, with 91% of respondents expressing confidence in them.
In contrast, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal is trusted by only 24% of respondents, while 38% do not trust him. Trust in the government as a whole stands at 20%, with 43% expressing distrust.
Meanwhile, only 16% of respondents trust the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament), Ruslan Stefanchuk, while 46% do not trust him. Overall, trust in the Verkhovna Rada is just 11%, with 56% expressing distrust.
