President Volodymyr Zelensky remains the most trusted Ukrainian political figure, a poll released on Dec. 19 by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) found.
Zelensky came in first, with 77% saying he is trustworthy, followed by comedian, public figure, and noted fundraiser Serhii Prytula with 69%, and Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko in third place with 52%.
All the figures named in the survey experienced a decrease in their assessed trustworthiness from the previous year, including Zelensky, whom 90% said they trusted in May 2022.
One exception was former President Petro Poroshenko, who was trusted by 16% of respondents in May 2022 and 27% in the December 2023 survey.
The most dramatic shift in trust was in regard to controversial former presidential office advisor Oleksii Arestovych, whose perception of trustworthiness dropped from 62% in May 2022 to 11% in December 2023.
A previous survey released by KIIS on Dec. 18 found that trust in Zelensky had declined to 62%, while trust in Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi was at 88%.
The polls were conducted in separate time frames and also contained different subjects. The Dec. 18 poll asked respondents about their trust in institutions and officials, while the Dec. 19 poll only pertained to political figures. Zaluzhnyi and other military officials were not included.
Zelensky still commands a level of trust and support rarely seen in Western democracies.
The average approval of U.S. presidents from 1938-2023 is only 53%. Of the three most recent presidents, only Barack Obama received an average approval rating of more than 50%.
Alexander Khrebet
