Most Ukrainians do not want peace if it means giving up land. A new survey shows this. The Kyiv International Institute of Sociology did the study. It asked 547 people in Ukraine.
The survey took place in late November and December. Most people said no to peace terms that hurt their country. This is especially true for the Donbas region. They also do not want smaller armies without clear security promises. Seventy-five percent of people think a peace deal with Russia is not acceptable. This is without strong safety guarantees. They worry that any deal will lead to more attacks later.
Sixty-three percent of Ukrainians are ready to keep fighting. However, they are also practical. Seventy-two percent would think about peace if fighting stopped at current lines. This would need both sides to make changes. This shows they want to stop fighting. But they want to keep their country safe. Only 9% think the war will end by early 2026.
This survey comes as other countries want the war to end quickly. Some leaders want fast peace deals. The US government has also asked Ukraine to think about talking. However, the survey shows Ukrainians trust Western allies less now. Trust in Washington fell from 41% to 21%. Trust in NATO also dropped from 43% to 34%.
This lack of trust is important. It affects peace plans that need help from other countries. Anton Hrushetskyi from KIIS said Ukrainians need clear promises. President Zelenskyy said Ukraine might change its NATO plans. This is for real security help.
The survey shows that people in Ukraine will fight against giving up land. Less trust in the West makes peace talks harder. Ukraine wants a strong plan for safety. Most people prefer to defend their country. They see this as better than giving up.