More than half of Ukrainians are optimistic about their country's chances of winning the war with Russia in the short term, according to a survey by the Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation and the Razumkov Center, published on Dec. 27.
Among those who believe in victory in the short term, 6% believe Ukraine will win in the next few months, 21% believe Ukraine will win by the summer of 2024, and 31% believe a Ukrainian victory will take one to two years.
Another 15% believe Ukraine will win in the medium term, between three and five years from now. Only 2.5% of respondents believe that a Ukrainian victory will never materialize.
The poll also showed that the vast majority of Ukrainians, or 88% of respondents, believe Ukraine will emerge victorious from the war, while 5% of respondents doubt a victory will be possible.
Among those living in the country's southern regions, the proportion of respondents who said they doubted a victory for Ukraine rose to 10%.
According to the poll, 95% of respondents said the war affects their daily lives. When asked which emotions they most commonly feel when thinking about the future, respondents said they most commonly feel hope, anxiety, and optimism.
55% of Ukrainians look to their own future with hope, but slightly more respondents reported feeling hope for the future of Ukraine, with 61% choosing this answer.
In total, 2,019 people over 18 were surveyed across Ukraine, except in areas where hostilities are taking place and territories under Russian occupation.