The share of Ukrainians who believe that negotiations with Russia are an effective means of achieving peace and should be pursued now has risen to 35%. However, a relative majority (48%) hold the opposite view, according to the results of a sociological survey conducted by the Razumkov Center's Sociological Service from September 20 to September 26 and presented during a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine on Thursday.

In September-October 2023, only 21% of respondents believed that negotiations with Russia were an effective way to achieve peace, while 63% disagreed.

Furthermore, since 2023, there has been an increase in those agreeing that negotiations with Russia should only take place after Russian forces are pushed back to the February 23, 2022 confrontation lines. The share of those holding this opinion grew from 25% to 37%, while the proportion of those disagreeing decreased from 61% to 41%.

Similarly, fewer people now believe that negotiations with Russia should only be conducted once its forces are withdrawn to the 1991 borders: this share dropped from 61% to 49%, while those who disagree increased from 24% to 29%.

A relative majority (48%) of residents in southern Ukraine agree that negotiations with Russia could take place now, with 37% disagreeing. In western Ukraine, only 23% support this idea, while 57% oppose it. In central Ukraine, the numbers are 37% in favor and 47.5% against. In eastern Ukraine, the shares of those in agreement and disagreement are statistically similar, with 39% in favor and 43% opposed.

Regarding the belief that negotiations should only happen after Russian forces are pushed back to the 1991 borders, a majority (61%) of residents in western Ukraine agree (with 23% disagreeing), as do a relative majority of residents in central (47% agree, 29% disagree) and eastern Ukraine (49% agree, 27% disagree). However, a relative majority in southern Ukraine disagrees (33% agree, 47% disagree).

The survey was conducted as part of the USAID/ENGAGE activity, which is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by Pact in Ukraine.

The face-to-face survey was carried out in all government-controlled regions of Ukraine among 2,016 respondents aged 18 and older. The sample structure reflects the demographic composition of the adult population in the surveyed regions as of early 2022 (by age, gender, and type of settlement). The theoretical margin of error does not exceed 2.3%. Additional systematic deviations in the sample may be due to the consequences of Russia's aggression, particularly forced evacuations.