Most Ukrainians want closer rapprochement with Russia – poll

Kyiv, October 27 (Interfax) - More than two thirds of Ukrainians have a positive attitude toward Russia, according to a poll held by the FOM-Ukraine public opinion research center on October 12-23, 2008.

The results of the poll were unveiled by FOM-Ukraine General Director Oleksandr Bukhalov at a press conference at the Interfax office in Kyiv on Monday.

The poll reveals that 68.6% of the respondents treat Russia positively, 19.8% are indifferent to it, 8% are negative towards Russia and 3.7% had no answer.

The majority of those polled (41.5%) trust Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, 38.1% are uncertain and 20.4% distrust him.

Most respondents (37.4%) favor Ukraine's equal rapprochement with Russia and the West, 21% want closer rapprochement with Russia than with the West, and 20.5% favor rapprochement with Russia only.

Just 6.9% favor Ukraine's rapprochement with the West rather than with Russia, 4.1% want rapprochement exclusively with the West, 3.6% - neither with Russia nor with the West, and 6.6% were undecided.

The poll was conducted among 2,000 respondents in 160 communities of Ukraine. The margin of error was 2.2%.