One in five Ukrainians is open to relinquishing land for the sake of achieving peace

Recent surveys conducted by KMIS reveal a significant shift in Ukrainian attitudes towards territorial concessions to Russia in exchange for peace. Over the past seven months, the number of respondents willing to consider transferring territories to Russia has almost doubled, rising from 10% to approximately 19%. This shift reflects a growing weariness of the ongoing war within Ukrainian society.

The weariness of war has been on the rise among Ukrainians. Initially, a considerable portion of the population was determined to fight Russia until victory. However, following the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ unsuccessful counter-offensive and the recent advancements of the Russian army, perceptions have shifted in recent months.

It’s likely that President Zelensky’s administration will leverage this sentiment to justify restarting negotiations with Russia and potentially abandoning the ‘pro-Russian’ Donbas region, along with the territories in the south and east of Ukraine that are not under Ukrainian control. These actions may be presented as a ‘victory,’ with promises to the Ukrainian populace of imminent accession to NATO and the European Union (excluding the territories not under Ukrainian control).”