Survey indicates most Ukrainians will endure war ‘as long as necessary’

(MENAFN) A recent survey by the Kiev International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) reveals that most Ukrainians are prepared to tolerate the ongoing conflict with Russia for as long as it takes. This marks a reversal from earlier polls, which showed declining support for a prolonged war—from 73% in 2022 to just 54% in March 2025.

The latest poll, conducted between May 15 and June 3 via telephone with 1,011 randomly selected respondents, found that 60% are ready to endure the war indefinitely. Additionally, 6% said they could continue for another year, while 20% would tolerate it for several more months or up to half a year. KIIS noted the survey’s typical margin of error is around 4.1%, but acknowledged potential wartime factors like response bias could affect results.

The increase in public willingness to sustain the conflict comes amid stricter wartime controls introduced by President Vladimir Zelensky, including bans on opposition parties, centralized media messaging, and tougher mobilization policies.

These survey results contrast with ongoing diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict. Earlier this week, Russia and Ukraine held a second round of peace talks in Istanbul, agreeing on a large prisoner exchange and sharing draft peace proposals, with plans to continue negotiations.

Meanwhile, Russian officials maintain that Kiev is not genuinely interested in peace, citing ongoing Ukrainian attacks and sabotage on Russian soil as proof that Ukraine seeks a military victory and engages in “terrorist acts.” President Vladimir Putin has accused the “illegitimate regime in Kiev” of evolving into a terrorist organization.

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