Poll: Ukrainians more optimistic about future than Russians

Kyiv, October 4 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukrainians are more optimistic about the future than Russians, according to the results of the DW-Trend monitoring study, which was carried out by the Ukrainian office of the IFAK Research Agency on September 3-15, 2010.

Director General of the IFAK in Ukraine Serhiy Hovorukha reported the study's findings during a press conference, hosted by Interfax-Ukraine on September 30.

In particular, 47% Ukrainians and 37% Russians are positive about the future. While 28% Ukrainians and 36% Russians are pessimistic. Some 32% respondents in Ukraine and Russia expressed hopes for the improvement of their material condition in the next few years, while some 25% Ukrainians and 27% Russians gave no answer to the question.

Within a period of March through September 2010 the amount of optimistic Ukrainians dropped from 64% to 48%.

Some 49% respondents from Ukraine and 73% polled Russians are mostly concerned about economic problems, corruption (64% Ukrainians and 62% Russians) and the abuse of power by officials and law enforcement agencies (44% and 51%, correspondingly).

The poll also showed that 42% Ukrainians trust their national currency (the hryvnia) and 32% do not. In Russia 64% respondents expressed confidence in their national currency.

According to the research, 64% Ukrainians see their country an integral part of Europe, 51% of the respondents in Russia said this was true of their country. In addition, 54% Ukrainians and 77% Russians think that Russia links European and Asian cultures, as it is a unique civilization. Some 26% Ukrainians and 12% Russians described Russia as a European country, and, correspondingly, 10% and 3% think Russia is an Asian country.

The poll also showed that 18% of Ukrainians are convinced that the integration of Ukraine and the European Union will take place in some 1-2 next years. Some 16% Russians expressed the same hopes concerning their country.

Respondents from Ukraine answered that Ukraine has the friendliest relations with Russia (60%), Germany (42%), the EU member-states (36%) and the United States (29%). Respondents in Russia see the friendliest relations with Germany (56%), Ukraine (46%), the European Union (35%) and the United States (28%).At the same time, 27% Russians and 20% Ukrainians described general relations between Ukraine and Russia as strained.

Asked what Ukraine and Russia should strive for in relations with the European Union, respondents numbered big investments and increased trade (55% Ukrainians and 39% Russians), a visa-free regime (47% and 28%) and assistance in general security (16% and 40%). Some 11% Ukrainians and 5% Russians think that, correspondingly, Kyiv and Moscow should strive to gain membership of the European Union.

During the study, 1,000 Ukrainians and 1,000 Russians aged from 18 to 60 years old, from cities with a population of more than 50,000 people, were polled by phone. The poll's margin of error was 3%.