KYIV. Jan 31 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Almost 60% of Ukrainians support diplomatic ways of resolving the war in eastern Ukraine, according to a poll conducted by Rating Group Ukraine in January 2019, the results of which were announced at the Kyiv-based Interfax-Ukraine news agency on Thursday.

Some 37% of respondents are for the cessation of the hostilities and the freezing of the conflict, and 22% stand for granting these territories an independent or federal status within Ukraine. Only 7% of respondents support the complete separation of the occupied lands. On the other hand, 18% support the continuation of military operations until Ukraine restores full control over Donbas.

Some 68% of respondents still consider the Russian Federation an aggressor in relation to Ukraine, while 20% hold the opposite opinion. At the same time, mostly all respondents who support the latter opinion are based in Donbas.

Support for the Ukraine's pro-western course predominates in Ukraine: 46% of those polled support joining NATO and 32% against, and 50% are for joining the EU, while 30% favor maintaining equal relations with Russia and the West. Some 9% are for joining the Customs Union.

The survey was conducted from January 16 to January 24, 2019. Some 6,000 respondents aged 18 years and older were interviewed using a face-to-face method. The sample is representative by age, gender, region, and type of settlement. The margin of error of the poll does not exceed 1.3%.