As of December, only 9% of Ukrainians support holding elections before the ceasefire. In September, the number was higher at 11%.
This is evidenced by the results of a survey conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) from November 26 to December 13, 2025.
At the same time, 25% of Ukrainians surveyed support elections if there is a ceasefire and security guarantees. In September, such people were 22%.
However, a majority — 57% — continue to insist that elections are only possible after a final peace agreement and a complete end to the war. This figure has fallen by 6% since September.
At the same time, 63% of Ukrainians are ready to endure the war as long as necessary (in September, there were 62%).
And 72% of Ukrainians are ready to approve a peace plan, which, in particular, would include freezing the situation behind the current front line along with security guarantees for Ukraine.
Only 9% of Ukrainians expect the war to end by the beginning of 2026, and 14% expect it to end at least in the first half of 2026.
Interestingly, Ukrainiansʼ trust in the US and NATO has almost halved in a year. Thus, 21% of respondents currently trust the United States (in December 2024 — 41%), 48% do not trust it (in December 2024 — 24%). The remaining 32% could not decide on an answer.
At the same time, NATO is trusted by 34% of Ukrainians — the figure has decreased from 43% over the year, and 41% currently do not trust the organization, compared to 25% last year.
As of December 2025, 49% of Ukrainians trust the European Union, 23% do not (in December 2024 it was 46% and 19%, that is, almost unchanged). The remaining 27% answered "it is difficult to say for sure".
61% of Ukrainians currently trust the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, while 32% do not. The balance of trust-distrust is +29%. In early October, the trust indicators were almost the same.
At the same time, sociologists have recorded positive dynamics in recent weeks. For example, among those surveyed at the end of November, 49% of citizens trusted Zelensky, while in the period from December 1 to 13 this figure increased to 63%.
The highest level of trust was recorded between December 8 and 13, when 65% of respondents said they trusted the President of Ukraine. This indicates a noticeable increase in his support among citizens at the end of the year.
KIIS notes that the level of trust in Zelenskyy decreased by approximately 10% after the corruption scandal, but after the dismissal of the head of the Presidentʼs Office Andriy Yermak and increased pressure from the United States, it returned to its previous level of 61%.
"Trust in Zelensky remains high, and in the eyes of Ukrainians he retains legitimacy as president. Therefore, the insistence on elections in Ukraine is critically perceived by the public and is seen as an attempt to weaken the country," KIIS notes.
- On December 10, President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had discussed holding elections during martial law with members of the Verkhovna Rada. This came after the US President Donald Trump said that the “time has come” to hold elections in Ukraine and that he believed Zelensky could win them.
- The same day, in a conversation with journalists, Zelensky replied that he was ready to hold elections and was "not holding on" to the presidential seat. The president said that he expected proposals from foreign partners (primarily the United States) on how to overcome security challenges, and from peopleʼs deputies — answers to political and legal challenges.
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