The level of trust of Ukrainians in President Volodymyr Zelensky amid the escalation of relations with the administration of US President Donald Trump and after the dispute in the Oval Office increased from 57% in the first half of February to 67%, according to the results of a survey by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology.
It is noted that as of the first half of February, before the escalation of relations between Ukraine and the USA, 57% of Ukrainians trusted Zelensky, while 37% did not. Thus, the trust-distrust balance was +20%. In the period from February 14 — March 4, 2025, the level of trust increased to 67%, and the share of those who do not trust decreased to 29%. Accordingly, the trust-distrust balance improved to +38%.
«In all regions of Ukraine, the situation is approximately the same, the trust-distrust balance is positive. Trust in the president is slightly lower in eastern Ukraine, but even in this region, the majority trusts Zelensky: 60% trust and 36% do not trust. In other regions (west, center, south) 66-69% trust and 28-30% do not trust him», — the study states.
The Executive Director of KIIS, Anton Hrushetskyi, noted that the increase in trust in the president in the recent period indicates a «rallying around the flag». «In any case, it is important to emphasize that the main reason for unity and increased trust in the president — is not attacks on him personally. Ukrainians perceive the rhetoric of the new US administration as an attack on all of Ukraine and all Ukrainians», — UNIAN quotes him.
The public opinion survey was conducted from February 14 — March 4, using telephone interviews based on a random sample of mobile phone numbers; 1,029 respondents were surveyed in all regions of Ukraine (government-controlled). The survey was conducted with adult (aged 18 and older) citizens of Ukraine who, at the time of the survey, resided in the territory of Ukraine controlled by the government. Residents of territories temporarily not controlled by the Ukrainian authorities were not included in the sample (at the same time, some respondents — are IDPs who moved from the occupied territories), and the survey was not conducted among citizens who went abroad after February 24, 2022.
Photo: NYT