With each year of war, fewer Ukrainians believe in the possibility of victory in the war – poll

With each passing year of the war, fewer Ukrainians believe in the possibility of victory. As of August 2025, about 73% still believe Ukraine can win the war against Russia, while 17% do not.

These are the findings of a survey by the Democratic Initiatives Foundation.

In 2022, 91.5% believed in victory, but that level has steadily declined and now stands at 72.6%. In contrast, only 4.1% did not believe in victory in 2022, compared to 16.9% now.

At the same time, many define “victory” differently: 27% of respondents said it would mean a return to the 1991 borders (multiple answers were allowed), while 30% believe victory would mean simply preserving statehood.

The share of people who do not want to tie their future to Ukraine has more than doubled — from 4.2% in 2022 to 10.9% now.

It should be recalled that, according to Gallup, most Ukrainians now want the war to end as soon as possible, rather than continue until “victory.” Some 69% of respondents supported ending the war through negotiations.

This is almost the exact opposite of public opinion in 2022, when 73% believed Ukraine should fight until victory.

During the war, the share of citizens who believe in a bright future for Ukraine in ten years has also halved.