Ukrainians prefer integration with EU over closer ties with Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan - poll

Kyiv, February 7 (Interfax-Ukraine) - A total of 46.7% Ukrainian citizens interviewed as part of a recent survey said they supported their country's integration with the European Union, while 38% spoke in favor of closer ties with Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan.

The question asked by sociologists during the poll, conducted by the Socis Center for Social and Marketing Research and Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) was "How would Ukrainian citizens vote if a nationwide referendum on this issue was to be held soon?"

Up to 33.8% of respondents were opposed to closer ties with the EU, and 39.8% said they were against any union with Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, according to the poll results, which were announced at an Interfax-Ukraine press conference in Kyiv on Friday.

From 9% to 10% of those polled said they would not vote in such a referendum, and 13% were undecided.

The survey was conducted from January 24 to February 1 and involved 2,400 people.