LONDON — Most Ukrainians now favor ending the war with Russia through negotiations, as support for fighting until victory has dropped sharply since the early days of the conflict. Although their hopes for joining NATO and the European Union have faded and approval of U.S. leadership has plummeted, Ukrainians still see the EU, U.K. and U.S. as key to ending the war. Yet, most doubt that will happen anytime soon.
More than three years into the war, Ukrainians’ support for continuing to fight until victory has hit a new low. In Gallup’s most recent poll of Ukraine — conducted in early July — 69% say they favor a negotiated end to the war as soon as possible, compared with 24% who support continuing to fight until victory.
This marks a nearly complete reversal from public opinion in 2022, when 73% favored Ukraine fighting until victory and 22% preferred that Ukraine seek a negotiated end as soon as possible.
Support for the war effort has declined steadily across all segments of the Ukrainian population, regardless of region or demographic group. This shift comes as diplomatic efforts gain new traction. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signaled readiness for direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, proposing renewed negotiations, while U.S. President Donald Trump is attempting to pressure the Kremlin with the threat of sanctions.
Despite these moves, the conflict continues largely unabated. Daily missile and drone attacks persist, and fighting remains intense along multiple sections of the front line.
Lasting End to Active Fighting Not Expected to Arrive Soon
Though a clear majority of Ukrainians now favor a negotiated end to the war as soon as possible, most are skeptical that active fighting will end soon. One in four (25%) think it is likely that active fighting will come to an end within the next 12 months, although only 5% see it as “very likely.” Over two-thirds (68%) think it is unlikely that active fighting will come to an end in the next year.
Ukrainians Sour on Washington but See a Role for U.S. in Peace Negotiations
Ukrainians’ views of their most prominent military ally have shifted decisively since the early months of the war. In 2025, 16% of Ukrainians approve of U.S. leadership, while 73% express disapproval, a record high. All of the goodwill that Washington built up in 2022, when 66% approved of U.S. leadership, has evaporated.
Tensions between Kyiv and Washington have risen in 2025 after Trump’s return to office. A tense meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy in the Oval Office in late February coincided with temporary pauses in U.S. military assistance.
By contrast, perceptions of Germany have improved significantly this year. Leadership approval of Berlin has reached a record high of 63%, despite Germany’s more cautious stance in the war’s early months. Approval of Russia remains negligible (1%), while China continues to receive low ratings (8%), as it has since the war began.
Despite sharp disapproval of U.S. leadership, most Ukrainians still view Washington as having a meaningful role to play in resolving the conflict. Seventy percent believe the U.S. should play “a significant role” in peace talks, in line with views toward EU countries (75%) and the U.K. (71%). Although some negotiations have recently taken place in Türkiye, 55% of Ukrainians support its significant involvement, notably lower than support for the EU, U.K. and U.S.
Hopes for Quick Entry to NATO, EU Fade Further
Ukraine has long expressed a desire to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which is seen by many as crucial to the country’s long-term security. In the first two years of the war, hopes were high for a quick accession to NATO, when clear majorities (64% in 2022 and 69% in 2023) expected Ukraine to be accepted within the next decade.
Hopes for a quick accession to NATO fell to 51% last year and have continued a downward trend, reaching 32% in 2025, half as high as in 2022. Meanwhile, the percentage who believe Ukraine will never be accepted into NATO has jumped to 33%, in line with the percentage expecting to join within the next 10 years.
Hopes for a future within the EU have not fallen as much as they have for NATO but are still dampened compared with earlier in the war. A slim majority of Ukrainian adults (52%) expect Ukraine to be accepted into the EU within the next decade, compared with 61% last year and 73% in 2022 and 2023.
Bottom Line
While most Ukrainians are ready to see the fighting end, few expect it to happen soon. Ukrainians see key roles for the EU, U.K. and U.S. to play in bringing the war to an end, even though public approval of Washington has cratered.
This year has also seen another decisive shift in hopes for a quick accession to NATO, with 32% now expecting to be accepted in the next decade. As diplomatic efforts drag on, the future of Ukraine’s war effort, and its relationship with the international community, remain deeply uncertain.
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For complete methodology and specific survey dates, please review Gallup's Country Data Set details. Learn more about how the Gallup World Poll works.
