According to a survey conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology from May 15 to June 3, the majority of Ukrainian citizens do not support the idea of transferring unoccupied territories of the Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Donetsk regions under the control of Russia. 78% of respondents reject such a demand, while only 15% of participants in the study are willing to agree to it.
This is reported by Київ24
Ukrainians’ Attitudes Towards Territorial Concessions
KMIS sociologists note that in the new survey, they detailed questions regarding possible territorial concessions to achieve peace and preserve Ukraine’s independence. It turned out that 68% of respondents categorically do not support the official recognition of certain territories as part of Russia, while 24% allow for such a possibility—pointing out that this issue does not concern all occupied territories.
“Thus, if it comes to the official recognition of certain territories as part of Russia, the overwhelming majority (68%) will be against it. Those willing to accept it are 24% (it should be noted that we are talking about ‘certain territories,’ not all occupied territories; there may be significant differentiation depending on the territories). Also, an absolute majority—78%—reject the transfer of territories controlled by Ukraine to Russia (such as the cities of Kherson, Zaporizhzhia—editor’s note). Only 15% are willing to accept it,” the study states.
The research also showed that 43% of Ukrainians are open to a compromise in the form of de facto recognition of Russia’s control over certain territories without legal formalization of such status, but 48% are categorically against it. At the same time, sociologists emphasize that if security guarantees and other important conditions for Ukraine’s future are included in the peace plan, more than half of the respondents might agree to such a scenario for ending the war under certain circumstances.
Public Opinion on Negotiations with Russia
According to the authors of the survey, public opinion remains principled regarding the official recognition of Ukrainian territories as part of Russia or the transfer of unoccupied territories under its control. At the same time, Ukrainians demonstrate some flexibility, allowing for the possibility of compromises only in the form of temporary de facto control, but without legal formalization of such status.
When asked a general question about willingness to make territorial concessions for peace, 52% of Ukrainians firmly oppose it, while 38% allow for partial territorial losses. These figures have hardly changed compared to February 2025, when similar data stood at 50% and 39%, respectively.
KMIS Executive Director Anton Grushetsky emphasized that the survey results indicate the unwavering resilience of citizens and the presence of clear “red lines” regarding territorial issues. Ukrainians are only willing to make difficult compromises if there are real security guarantees and provided that the concessions do not involve the official recognition of occupation or the transfer of unoccupied territories under Russia’s control.
On June 2, during negotiations in Istanbul, the Russian delegation presented its demands: the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Luhansk, and Kherson regions and international recognition of these regions, as well as Crimea, as part of Russia. In response, the Ukrainian side insists on not recognizing the occupied territories as Russian and rejects the demand for neutrality, insisting on an unconditional ceasefire. This point is also supported by the USA, although Moscow disagrees with it.