The Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) reports that 52% of surveyed Ukrainians now believe the United States is tired and pressuring Ukraine to accept an unjust peace. Ukrainian confidence in European allies has also declined.
Sociologists describe the situation regarding perceptions of US policy as "very dynamic." In March 2025, they recorded the lowest positive perception of US policy—only 24% of respondents considered the United States a reliable ally of Ukraine.
By early August, that share had grown to 42%. KIIS conducted the survey against the backdrop of Donald Trump's pro-Ukrainian signals in July, but before information emerged about a planned meeting with Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
At that time, 38% of respondents critically assessed US policy, while one in five (19%) could not answer the question—which, according to KIIS, likely reflected the volatility of statements from the American side.
The latest survey was conducted from 19 September to 5 October 2025, during a period when Trump, for example, mentioned the possibility of a Ukrainian victory. However, this wave did not cover statements about "Tomahawks" or a possible meeting with Putin in Budapest.
According to KIIS data, the share of optimists who favorably assess US policy decreased slightly—from 42% to 38%. But simultaneously, the share of those who believe the United States is tired and pressuring Ukraine to approve an unjust peace grew from 38% to 52%. This increase occurred primarily due to a decline in the share of those whose views in early August were uncertain.
European perceptions shift downward
The majority of surveyed Ukrainians (58%) believe that Europe continues to seriously help Ukraine and wants the war to end on just terms.
36% believe that Europe is tired and pressuring for an unjust peace. Sociologists note that from February to August 2025, public perception of Europe was quite stable, but now a downward trend is being recorded for the first time.
The number of those who see Europe as a reliable ally has decreased—from 63% in early August to 58% in early October. Meanwhile, those who believe Europe's support is weakening and that it is pressuring Ukraine to make concessions to Russia increased from 27% to 36%.
KIIS Executive Director Anton Grushetsky attributes this to Russians "constantly investing resources in imposing on Ukrainians the idea of weakening Western support and that the West is ready to abandon Ukraine."
"One can debate the (in)sufficiency of the volume of support (and it is difficult to deny that the volumes were not always sufficient and timely, but it is also impossible to deny that they were and are significant), but Ukraine objectively retains a significant number of reliable allies. In a changing media environment (especially in the context of not always consistent public positions from the United States), Ukrainians must see and remember that we are not alone," he wrote.
Grushetsky also points out that spreading the narrative about decreasing support seriously harms Ukraine's information security.
KIIS notes that those who believe Europe/USA are tiring and pressuring Ukraine are more willing to accept territorial losses, including the most severe ones. Although even among those who critically assess European/US policy, the majority reject the most severe demands—such as official recognition of occupied territories as part of Russia or transferring territories currently controlled by Ukraine to the Russian Federation.
Survey methodology
KIIS conducted the survey from 19 September to 5 October 2025, using telephone interviews (CATI) based on a random sample of mobile phone numbers (with random generation of phone numbers and subsequent statistical weighting).
A total of 1,008 respondents were surveyed in all regions of Ukraine (territory controlled by the Ukrainian government)—citizens of Ukraine aged 18 and older who, at the time of the survey, resided in Ukrainian-controlled territory.
KIIS believes the results have high representativeness and allow for reliable analysis of public sentiment.
