On the contrary: 38% of respondents of the Kiev International Institute of Sociology were against starting talks. Moreover, 66% said that Ukraine should get back all its territory, and more than 70% rejected giving up its membership in NATO and the EU.
57% of Ukrainians believe their country should start negotiations with Russia to end the war, according to the results of a survey published Friday that was conducted in May by the Kiev International Institute of Sociology and funded by the cooperation of the United States and Sweden.
38% were against entering into talks with the enemy. This is the first opinion poll since the beginning of the war in which a majority of Ukrainians are in favor of opening negotiations to end the conflict.
At the same time, 66% of respondents said that Ukraine should get back all its territory, including Crimea and areas in the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.
Moreover, 74 and 76% respectively reject Ukraine giving up its aspirations to join NATO and the European Union (EU) within the framework of a hypothetical peace agreement with Russia.
The survey was conducted between May 8 and May 25 by telephone among more than 2,500 adults living in Ukrainian areas controlled by the Kiev government, whose mobile phone numbers were selected randomly.
Negotiations are gaining ground in official discourse
The possibility of negotiations with Russia has gained importance in the official discourse in Kiev and in public opinion in Ukraine. President, Volodymyr Zelenskyand his Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dmitro Kulebahave had direct and public contacts in recent weeks with several leaders who advocate negotiations to end the war as soon as possible, such as the Hungarian Prime Minister, Victor Orban; the American presidential candidate, Donald Trump or the Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi.
In a interview published last wednesday by four French media: the newspapers Liberation, The World And The Team and the AFP agency, the Ukrainian president said that the issue of his country’s territorial integrity does not necessarily have to be resolved “exclusively through arms”, but that it is also possible to find solutions “through diplomatic means, if Russia so wants it”.
In addition, Zelensky announced that he will present a detailed peace plan before the end of the year, which can be presented to Russia after approval by the international community.
Russian advance
According to Ukrainian Telegram channel DeepState, Russia occupied the Ukrainian village of Vesele this week, joining the list of small towns in the Donetsk region captured by Kremlin forces in a slow offensive with heavy losses, which however worries experts and specialists. Kiev is an ally because of the limited but steady progress it is making.
Source: EITB
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
