Over half of Ukrainians support holding referendum on peace deal, poll shows
Around 55% of Ukrainians support holding a referendum on a potential peace deal to end Russia's war against Ukraine, while 32% oppose this idea, according to a poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) published on Jan. 16.
According to the survey, another 14% of Ukrainians remain undecided on the matter.
In mid-December, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that any territorial concessions to end Russia's all-out war, mentioned in a U.S.-backed peace plan, should be decided by the Ukrainian people, potentially through a referendum.
This idea had been floated before, but as with elections, holding a referendum is prohibited under martial law. Zelensky tasked lawmakers with drafting legislative proposals to allow changes to the election law during martial law.
Many obstacles to holding an election and a referendum before the official end of the war remain.
First and foremost, Russia has shown no indication of agreeing to any ceasefire.
Another poll conducted by KIIS, released earlier in January, showed that only 10% of Ukrainians believe elections should be held before a ceasefire. In contrast, 59% think that elections are possible only after a final peace deal and the complete end of the war.
David Arakhamia, the parliamentary leader of Zelensky's Servant of the People party, said on Jan. 3 that an election and a referendum could be held on the same day. He added that they could be held within 90 days after a ceasefire comes into effect.
A revised 20-point peace plan backed by Ukraine and the U.S. says it must be ratified by the Ukrainian parliament and/or supported by Ukrainians in a referendum that would take place potentially within 60 days.
The KIIS survey, conducted between Jan. 9 and 14, was based on responses from 601 people across Ukraine, excluding areas under Russian occupation.
