60% of Ukrainians oppose ceding Donbas to Russia, but same share back freezing war with security guarantees, poll shows

Sixty percent of Ukrainians are opposed to territorial concessions in the Donbas region to Russia, while the same share would be willing to accept a freeze of the war along the current front line in exchange for security guarantees, according to a poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS).

The poll was conducted as peace talks involving Ukraine, Russia, and mediators including the U.S. remained deadlocked. At the same time, Russian forces have continued attacks across Ukraine, where a shortage of air defense missiles has contributed to mounting civilian casualties.

According to the poll results, 33% of respondents said they would be willing to give up territory in eastern Ukraine, including Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, though most viewed such a decision as a difficult concession. Another 7% were undecided.

Under a scenario involving a freeze of the war along the current front line in exchange for security guarantees in the form of substantial funding and weapons supplies, 59% of respondents said they would be willing to support the arrangement, although most did so reluctantly. Thirty-one percent strongly opposed the idea.

The poll also showed that a majority of Ukrainians do not expect Russia's war against Ukraine to end in the near future.

Forty-five percent of respondents said they believe the war could end no earlier than the second half of 2027, while 21% expect it to end by the end of this year. Another 15% said they expect the war to conclude in the first half of 2027. Another 19% of respondents were undecided on the issue.

The share of Ukrainians willing to endure the war for as long as necessary has also risen to 61%, after falling to 48% in April 2026.

The poll, conducted from July 20 to Aug. 3 and published on Aug. 7, surveyed 974 respondents aged 18 and older living in Ukrainian-controlled territory.