Ukrainian support for war shifts dramatically after 3 years of fighting, poll finds

Ukrainian support for continuing the war against Russia has sunk to a record low, with a majority now favoring an immediate cessation of hostilities, according to a new Gallup poll.

But, despite the widespread desire for peace, most Ukrainians are skeptical that the conflict — which began when Russia invaded in 2022 — will be resolved in the near future.

Meanwhile, the majority express disapproval of U.S. leadership, which has reversed its stance toward the war — shifting from full-throated support under President Joe Biden to advocating for a negotiated settlement under President Donald Trump.

Here is a breakdown of the results.

Most Ukrainians want war to end

In the survey, 69% of Ukrainians said the country’s leadership should seek to end the war through a negotiated settlement “as soon as possible.” In contrast, just 24% said Ukraine should keep fighting until it achieves victory.

By comparison, public opinion was more divided in 2024, when 52% said they wanted the war to end and 38% said they wanted to continue fighting.

The latest results also mark a near-total reversal from 2022 and 2023, when the vast majority of Ukrainians — 73% and 63%, respectively — expressed a desire to continue prosecuting the war.

“Support for the war effort has declined steadily across all segments of the Ukrainian population, regardless of region or demographic group,” according to Gallup.

The poll — which sampled about 1,000 Ukrainian adults July 1-14 — comes as Ukraine has lost about 19% of its territory to Russia, which is accelerating its battlefield gains.

The fighting has also wrought heavy casualties and widespread destruction.

Around 350,000 Ukrainian and Russian soldiers have been killed since the outbreak of war, according to a June study from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a think tank in Washington, D.C. The overall casualty figure, which includes dead and wounded, is nearly 1.4 million.

In Ukraine, the conflict has also resulted in large-scale destruction of infrastructure, economic contraction and displaced millions of people.

Most are doubtful peace is near

While more than two-thirds of Ukrainians desire a settlement, about the same share believe this goal will not be achieved in the near term.

Sixty-eight percent of respondents said they think it is somewhat (34%) or very unlikely (34%) that “active fighting will come to a lasting end within the next 12 months.”

Meanwhile, just one-quarter said they believe this is somewhat (20%) or very likely (5%). An additional 6% said they are not sure.

This skepticism comes as diplomatic efforts to halt the conflict have stalled.

Trump, who campaigned on ending the war — often saying he could do so within 24 hours — has repeatedly sought to persuade Ukraine and Russia to reach a settlement, but has so far been unsuccessful.

Recently, the U.S. president threatened additional sanctions on Russia as part of a pressure campaign to end the war, according to Reuters. He could meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin soon to work towards a deal.

Ukrainians sour on U.S. leadership

The survey — which has a margin of error of between 3.6 and 4.3 percentage points — also found Ukrainian goodwill towards American leadership has all but disappeared.

A strong majority of respondents, 73%, said they disapprove of the way U.S. leadership has performed, while just 16% said they approved.

This marks a significant shift from last year, when 40% said they approved and 37% said they disapproved. And in 2023, 53% approved, while 22% disapproved.

These findings coincide with a fraying of relations between the U.S. and Ukraine since Trump took office. During a February White House summit, Trump got into a heated exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, accusing him of “gambling with World War III.” Following the meeting, the U.S. temporarily suspended military aid and intelligence to Ukraine.

At the same time, though, most Ukrainians still believe the U.S. has an important role to play in bringing an end to the war.

Seventy percent of respondents said the U.S. should have a significant role “in potential peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.” Just 23% said it should play a minor role or no role.

The poll excluded between 10% and 13% of the Ukrainian population living in territories controlled by Russia.

This story was originally published August 8, 2025 at 12:42 PM with the headline "Ukrainian support for war shifts dramatically after 3 years of fighting, poll finds."