Trust balance for Zelenskyy declines slightly but remains high across all macro-regions – KIIS survey
A majority of 58% of Ukrainians currently trust President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, while 36% do not trust him, resulting in a positive trust-distrust balance of +22%, according to an all-Ukrainian public opinion poll conducted April 20-27 by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS). Compared to March 2026, the level of trust has decreased slightly from 62%, with the balance of trust-distrust previously standing at +30%. Among the 58% who trust Zelenskyy, 25% trust him completely, with the highest concentration in the lower Dnieper region at 36%, while 33% rather trust him, with support levels between 31% and 36% across various macro-regions. Within the group that expresses distrust, 18% completely do not trust the president, peaking at 21% in some regions, and another 18% rather do not trust him, with the highest figures in Kyiv and the east reaching 23%.
Regarding his future political role, 28% of respondents want to see Zelenskyy as president after the war, which is a slight increase from 25% in October 2025. Another 16% believe he should remain in politics as a party leader or Member of Parliament, while 30% believe he should leave politics to focus on charitable activities or private matters, a figure that has decreased from 36% previously. Approximately 15% believe he should face criminal prosecution, which remains unchanged since October 2025.
Among respondents who do not trust the president, 40% stated their distrust dates back to 2019 or 2022. Primary reasons for this sentiment include the ongoing war at 32%, unfulfilled campaign promises at 28%, corruption at 20%, and personnel policy at 18%. Other factors mentioned include incompetence, the activities of Territorial Recruitment Centers (TCC), and a decline in living standards. Notably, no respondents cited the absence of elections as a reason for their distrust. KIIS Executive Director Anton Hrushetsky noted that while many wish to see a different president after the war, Zelenskyy retains legitimacy as head of state for the vast majority of Ukrainians during the conflict. The survey was conducted via telephone interviews with 1,005 respondents across all government-controlled regions of Ukraine.
