Several polls show that Ukrainians remain firmly unwilling to make just any concessions—and public opinion on this has held steady since the war with Russia began.
“Ukrainians are clearly more optimistic than pessimistic. Only 10% of citizens don’t believe victory is possible,” reports RBK-Ukraine, summarising an interview with Alexei Antipovich, director of the polling institute Rating. He adds that when Ukrainians are asked what they feel first and foremost when they think of their country, the overwhelming majority answer: hope.
Antipovich also notes that Ukrainians have little faith in the effectiveness of negotiations with Russia. Yet only 10% back continuing the war until all lost territories are recovered. Instead, the vast majority—60%—favour some form of compromise.
Data from another sociological body, the Razumkov Centre, confirms that willingness to make concessions has remained largely unchanged over the past six months.
In the survey, respondents were asked whether, to end the war waged by Russia, Ukraine should accept the terms set by Vladimir Putin.
Only 8% of those surveyed—6% in the western and central regions, 10% in the east, and 14% in the south—would agree to a full withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions, meaning from the entire territory within their administrative borders. In contrast, a significant 78% rejected this condition outright.
Similarly, just 5% of respondents—2% in the west, 3% in the centre, 6% in the east, and 15% in the south—would accept international treaties recognising the status of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Crimea, and Sevastopol as Russian territory. Meanwhile, 82% opposed this condition.
When asked about lifting all Western sanctions against Russia, only 7% of those surveyed—2% in the west, 8% in the centre, and 11% in the east and south—were in favour, while 78% rejected the idea.
A somewhat larger share, 22%, would be willing to accept Ukraine’s neutral, non-aligned, and non-nuclear status being enshrined in the constitution as a condition to end the war. This included 8% in the west, 26% in the centre, 24.5% in the east, and 33.5% in the south. Yet, the majority—56%—remain opposed.
Overall, willingness to make such concessions has remained virtually unchanged since June 2024.
