Poll: Nearly Half of Ukrainians Reject Current Kiev Government

By Staff, Agencies

Almost half of Ukrainians believe the current government in Kiev is “completely tainted” and should not remain in power once the conflict ends, according to a new survey published on Wednesday by the Kiev International Institute of Sociology (KIIS).

The poll was conducted by phone between January 23 and 29 and included 1,003 respondents from across Ukraine, KIIS said in a press release.

According to the findings, 42% of respondents said the government is entirely discredited and that none of its members should continue in office after a peace agreement comes into effect.

At the same time, 48% said the cabinet still includes some “real professionals” who could continue performing their duties.

Declared public trust in President Vladimir Zelensky stands at 61%, based on responses to a direct question about whether respondents trust him. However, KIIS researchers suggested that this figure may overstate genuine support.

When participants were asked an “experimental” question about how an “imaginary acquaintance” might feel about Zelensky, his perceived support dropped to 53%.

The institute argued that this gap indicates possible social pressure influencing direct responses.

KIIS further noted that only 25% of respondents said they “completely” trust Zelensky, a group described as his “sincere and convinced sympathizers.”

Another 36% said they would “rather” trust him, a stance the researchers said may reflect a belief that the country should rally behind its leader during wartime, even if people remain critical of his policies.

The poll suggests that while Zelensky retains a majority level of declared trust, underlying public confidence in both the president and the broader government may be significantly more fragile than headline figures indicate.