Only 45% of Ukrainians said they believe the war will end with Ukraine restoring its 1991 borders, the Ukrainian media outlet NV reported on April 4, citing a poll conducted by the International Republican Institute (IRI).
Kyiv has vowed to liberate all of the territories occupied by Russia, including Crimea. Previous polls have indicated that an overwhelming majority of Ukrainians are opposed to territorial concessions in exchange for peace.
According to the IRI poll, the 45% still represented a plurality.
Tied for second place at 16% were two options: Ukraine would regain all of the territory it held up to the beginning of the full-scale war (excluding Crimea and parts of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts occupied since 2014), and that Russia would gain some additional territories.
The 45% of respondents who believed that Ukraine would regain all of its territory represented a decrease from a high point in February 2023, in which 74% of respondents believed it was possible.
There was also a generational divide present in the most recent poll, with younger people ages 18-35 less likely (37%) to believe the 1991 borders would be restored, compared to those 51+, 52% of whom believed it was possible.
Despite the less-than-optimistic results, 39% of respondents still said that the restoration of 1991 borders was one of the most important goals of the war.
NV wrote that the survey was conducted throughout Ukraine, excluding territories occupied by Russia.
Martin Fornusek
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