Over 80% of Ukrainians oppose territorial concessions, even at risk of protracted war — poll
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The vast majority of Ukrainians – 84% - continue to believe that no territorial concessions are acceptable, even if that means the war will last longer and they will have to live under further threats, according to a Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) survey released on June 9.
Only 10% believe that Ukraine should give up some territories to achieve peace and preserve independence.
In every region of Ukraine, the absolute majority of the population is against any territorial concessions, KIIS said.
In Eastern Ukraine 75% are against concessions (only 13% are ready to make concessions), while 86% are against concessions (only 8% are ready) in Southern Ukraine.
Compared to May 2022, there is a distinct dominance of the opinion in all regions that Ukraine should not cede any of its territories, sociologists said.
KIIS noted there were only 19 respondents in the sample who continue to identify themselves by nationality as Russian. This amount is not enough for statistically reliable calculations. However, it is indicative that among them only two respondents are in favor of concessions, and 15, on the contrary, reject any concessions.
The survey was conducted from May 26 to June 5.
1,029 people were interviewed by phone in all regions of Ukraine, with the exception of the Russian-occupied territories. Those who went abroad after Feb. 24 were also not interviewed.
Since last May, the indicator of Ukrainians’ unwillingness to make territorial concessions to end the war has remained at almost the same level, despite regular Russian attacks on critical and civilian infrastructure.
The nighttime missile strikes at Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, which have been going on almost every day for over a month, has not affected the opinion of the respondents. Russia also began to actively use ballistic missiles. Ukrainian air defense, however, intercepts almost all enemy targets.
In an interview with U.S. newspaper the Wall Street Journal published on June 3, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine was ready to launch its counteroffensive.
Russian invasion forces are morally exhausted by the long wait for the Ukrainian army’s counteroffensive and are visibly nervous, stated Natalia Humeniuk, the spokesperson for the Southern Defense Forces of Ukraine, on Ukrainian national television on June 5.
The Ukrainian military has launched a long-anticipated counterattack against occupying Russian forces, opening a crucial phase in the war aimed at restoring Ukraine’s territorial sovereignty and preserving Western support in its fight against Moscow, The Washington Post reported on June 8.
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