Ukrainians Trust Zelenskyy Less Since Wartime Protests, Polls Finds

Last Updated:August 07, 2025, 16:33 IST

Public trust in President Zelenskyy hit a six-month low, per Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, after protests against his move to curb anti-corruption watchdogs' power.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. (IMAGE: AFP)

Public trust in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy fell to its lowest level in around six months, according to a prominent Kyiv-based polling agency. This comes following rare wartime protests against a move to curb the power of anti-corruption watchdogs.

The survey, by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, is the first by a major Ukrainian pollster to measure public sentiment since Zelenskyy sparked anger with a move to subordinate the agencies to a hand-picked prosecutor-general, Reuters reported.

Thousands of Ukrainians took to the streets in Kyiv and other cities late last month to protest the fast-tracked measures, leading President Zelenskyy and his ruling party to swiftly backtrack on the decision.

Last month’s action against anti-corruption authorities sparked widespread discontent, largely due to what critics called the rushed process and lack of transparency in how the measures were pushed through.

Fighting corruption and improving governance are key requirements for loan-dependent Ukraine to join the European Union, a step many consider critical to fending off future Russian pressure.

While much smaller, the demonstrations had prompted comparisons to Ukraine’s 2014 Maidan revolution, when protesters toppled a leader accused of graft and heavy-handed rule in favour of closer ties with the West, Reuters reported.

The KIIS survey revealed that among those who distrust President Zelenskyy, the main reasons cited were corruption (21%) and his management of the war (20%). The poll noted that trust had already been on the decline prior to the protests, but the demonstrations “undoubtedly had an impact" on the continued drop.

Zelenskyy’s lowest trust rating during the war was 52% in December 2024. The latest poll surveyed over 1,000 respondents across government-controlled areas of Ukraine.

In a research note, executive director Anton Grushetskyi stated that while Zelenskyy still maintains “a fairly high level of trust," the steady decline should be seen as a cautionary sign.

“The persistent downward trend is a worrying signal that requires attention and thoughtful decisions from the authorities," he wrote.

After yielding to public pressure and introducing new legislation to reverse the controversial measures last month, Zelenskyy stated that he “respects the position of all Ukrainians."

However, some protesters interviewed by Reuters said the scandal had, to some extent, changed their view of Zelenskyy. His office has also been accused of using the war as a pretext to centralise power—allegations it has denied.

“On the first day of the protests, I thought about…tattooing #12414 simply as a reminder," said 22-year-old IT worker Artem Astaf’yev, referring to the controversial law’s designation.

Astaf’yev, who was attending a protest for the first time, said he would likely not support Zelenskyy’s ruling Servant of the People party in future elections. Currently, all elections are suspended under martial law.

Others, like 50-year-old veteran Yuriy Fylypenko, said the public backlash demonstrated that Ukraine’s traditionally active civil society remains capable of mobilising—even during wartime.

“We have been convinced that Ukraine is not sleeping, that Ukraine is full of potential to defend democratic principles."

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Ukraine

First Published:

August 07, 2025, 16:33 IST

News world Ukrainians Trust Zelenskyy Less Since Wartime Protests, Polls Finds

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