A majority of Ukrainians – 61% – say they trust President Volodymyr Zelensky, according to the results of a nationwide public opinion poll conducted in Jan. 23-29, suggesting that public confidence in Ukraine’s leader has remained largely stable amid the ongoing war.
The findings were published by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS), which conducted telephone interviews across government-controlled territory on Jan. 23-29.
Trust in the president remains stable
According to the survey results, 61% of respondents said they trust Zelensky, while 33% said they do not. Among those expressing trust, 25% said they had complete trust in the president, and another 36% said they “rather trust” him.
At the same time, 17% of respondents said they do not trust Zelensky at all, while 16% said they “rather do not trust” him.
KIIS noted in its press release that the president’s trust rating has remained largely unchanged compared to mid-January, indicating stability in public sentiment rather than a sharp shift in attitudes.
Indirect polling suggests lower trust levels
As part of the survey, KIIS also conducted an experiment to test the sincerity of respondents’ answers.
Half of those surveyed were asked directly whether they trusted the president, while the other half were questioned using what sociologists call a “contemplative acquaintance” method, designed to reduce the influence of socially desirable responses.
Using this indirect approach, the share of respondents expressing trust in the president fell to 53%, compared with 61% in the direct questioning.
KIIS said the discrepancy suggests that actual trust levels may be somewhat lower than those indicated by standard polling methods, though still above half of the population.
Wartime unity, not fear, seen as key factor
The polling institute said it does not believe the difference between the two methods reflects fear of criticizing the authorities. Instead, KIIS pointed to the relative freedom of criticism in Ukrainian media and the widespread use of the internet as evidence that respondents are generally able to express dissenting views.
According to sociologists, the gap is more likely explained by what they described as a “state position” effect. Under wartime conditions, respondents may declare trust in the president as a sign of national unity, even while holding more critical views in private.
KIIS said this pattern reflects a broader tendency among Ukrainians to separate personal evaluations of leadership from public expressions of solidarity during the war.
Views on postwar political leadership
The survey also examined attitudes toward the future of Ukraine’s political leadership once hostilities end. Results suggest that Ukrainian society is divided, but does not overwhelmingly favor a complete revamping of leadership after the war.
Some 48% of respondents said that there are professionals and leaders within the current authorities who should remain in power after the end of the war. Meanwhile, 42% said the current government is fully discredited and that none of its representatives should retain their positions.
Even among those who fully trust Zelensky, 19% said they believe the current government is tarnished. That figure rises to 28% among respondents who said they “rather trust” the president.
Assessments of democracy under martial law
The poll also explored how Ukrainians assess the state of democracy under martial law. Some 36% of respondents said there is as much democracy in Ukraine as there should be under wartime conditions, while another 16% said there is too much democracy.
Another 35% of respondents said they believe there is not enough democracy in the country, and 14% said they were unable to form an opinion.
Among those who said democracy is insufficient, the most commonly cited concerns included restrictions on freedom of speech and criticism of the authorities, the activities of territorial recruitment centers, disregard for the interests of ordinary citizens, violations of the law, and corruption.
Only 1% of respondents identified the absence of elections during martial law as a key democratic problem, according to the survey.
The KIIS survey was conducted via telephone interviews among 1,003 adult citizens living in territory controlled by Ukraine (i.e., not under Russian occupation) at the time of polling.
The institute said the formal statistical margin of error does not exceed 4.1%. For the specific question regarding trust in the president, the margin of error may be as high as 5.8%.
KIIS noted that the findings reflect public opinion during an ongoing period of full-scale war, when attitudes toward political leadership and democratic processes may be shaped by security concerns and wartime realities.
