Public trust in President Volodymyr Zelensky has dropped by 11 percentage points since May, according to a poll published by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) on June 16.

The survey found that 65% of Ukrainians currently trust the president, while 30% do not, yielding a trust balance of +35%, the lowest recorded since March.

Zelensky's still rating remains above the February 2025 low of 57%.  

Sociologists can't pinpoint a specific cause for the short-term decline but highlight factors such as increasing pressure for a ceasefire and the weakening of the surge of popular support seen earlier this year during tense relations with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Zelensky's approval had spiked briefly in early May to 74% following the signing of a minerals agreement with the U.S., seen as a diplomatic and economic win. That boost proved short-lived.

The poll shows a stark regional divide. Trust is highest in western Ukraine at 73%, while in the country's south and east, areas more frequently targeted by Russian strikes, only 61% express confidence in the president.

The data also shows a sharp contrast in attitudes toward territorial concessions. Among those who trust Zelensky, 55% are strongly opposed to any such compromise. Among those who distrust him, 46% are willing to cede territory, while only 43% are firmly against concessions.

The survey was conducted between May 15 and June 3, using a random sample of 1,011 adult residents across Ukraine, excluding occupied territories. Respondents were interviewed by phone.  

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A vast majority of Russian-speaking Ukrainians — those how primarily speak Russian at home — view Russia negatively, according to a survey published on May 27 by Kyiv-based think tank Razumkov Center in cooperation with the Kyiv Security Forum.  

The poll, conducted between April 24 and May 4, 2025, surveyed 2,021 Ukrainian citizens aged 18 and older in territories under Ukrainian government control. According to the survey, only 11% of respondents said they primarily speak Russian at home.

Of those, 82% said they had a negative view of Russia.

The results come as Russia continues to invoke the supposed plight of Russian-speaking communities to justify its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. But the data suggests this narrative is widely rejected by those it claims to defend.

As recently as May 23, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov claimed Moscow "cannot leave" Russian-speaking residents in Kyiv-controlled areas and would "protect them."

Only 13% of Russian-speaking respondents maintain a favorable opinion of Russia. By contrast, admiration for Western countries remains strong — 79% of respondents view France positively, and 75% feel the same about the United Kingdom.

The survey also found that 42% of respondents identified the European model of social development as the most attractive. Just 6% expressed a preference for the Russian model, further undermining Kremlin rhetoric about cultural and political alignment.

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Support for Ukraine's military remains resilient. Some 81.5% of those surveyed said they trust the Armed Forces of Ukraine, a reflection of sustained public confidence despite ongoing Russian attacks. Only 14% expressed distrust.

Before the war, many of the cities now devastated by Russian attacks and occupation — Mariupol, Kharkiv, Sievierodonetsk — were predominantly Russian-speaking.

Rather than protection, these regions have endured mass displacement, forced deportations, and indiscriminate bombardment by Russian forces.

The war has also catalyzed a national shift in language use.

According to a 2024 Rating Group poll, 70% of Ukrainians now speak exclusively or primarily in Ukrainian at home — up from 50% in 2015 and 46% in 2006.

In 2014, just after Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea, a separate Rating Group poll showed that 56% of Ukrainians already opposed granting Russian the status of a second state language.

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