Public trust in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has declined by 11 percentage points since May, according to a new poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS), released on June 16. The results show that 65% of Ukrainians currently say they trust the president, while 30% express the opposite view, resulting in a net trust balance of +35% - the lowest level recorded since March this year. Despite the decline, the current rating remains above the February low, when only 57% said they trusted him.

The survey data does not point to a single clear reason behind the drop, but sociologists point to several contributing factors. Among them are the stagnation in progress toward ending the war, growing calls for a ceasefire, and the fading of the “rally-around-the-flag” sentiment that had momentarily boosted support for Zelensky earlier this year, particularly during heightened tensions with U.S. President Donald Trump. Another short-term factor that likely influenced the data was the temporary surge in approval following the signing of a mineral resources agreement with the U.S. in early May, which pushed trust levels up to 74%. That momentum, however, was not sustained.

Regional differences in public opinion are also notable. In Ukraine’s western regions, Zelensky enjoys the highest level of trust at 73%. In contrast, only 61% of respondents in the country’s southern and eastern regions said they trust him - areas more frequently impacted by Russian strikes. These variations underline how geography and local conditions continue to shape political attitudes in wartime Ukraine.

The survey also explored how trust in the president aligns with views on territorial concessions. Among those who say they trust Zelensky, a majority - 55% - are firmly against ceding any Ukrainian territory, while 36% are more open to such compromises. In contrast, of those who do not trust the president, 46% would be willing to give up land, and only 43% reject the idea outright.

The poll was conducted between May 15 and June 3 and included 1,011 adults living in areas under Ukrainian government control. The methodology relied on computer-assisted telephone interviews based on a random sample of mobile numbers. People living in Russian-occupied territories were not surveyed, though the sample did include internally displaced persons who had moved from those areas. Citizens who left Ukraine after February 24, 2022, were also excluded.

KIIS notes that under normal conditions, the margin of error for this sample is under 4.1% for indicators around 50%, and lower for smaller figures. Still, the institute acknowledges the possibility of additional systemic bias due to wartime conditions. Despite this, the findings are considered broadly representative and a reliable measure of current public sentiment across Ukraine.

One additional nuance noted by the researchers: the order in which politicians’ names were presented during interviews appeared to influence results. Zelensky was one of ten political figures mentioned to respondents, and when his name was read later in the list, his trust rating tended to be slightly higher.

Source: Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS)