KYIV, July 9 – More Ukrainians believe the country is overcoming internal divisions and moving toward unity, according to a new poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS), conducted from May 15 to June 3.

The share of respondents who see Ukraine as becoming a more unified nation rose from 53% in December 2024 to 61%, mainly due to a decrease in those undecided (from 14% to 7%). Meanwhile, a consistent 33% still believe that internal contradictions are deepening and Ukraine is heading toward fragmentation.

At the same time, KIIS noted a steady decline in public optimism about Ukraine’s long-term future. For the first time since October 2022, the share of pessimists has exceeded the share of optimists.

In December 2024, 57% of Ukrainians believed the country would become a prosperous EU member in 10 years. By May–June 2025, that figure had dropped to 43%. In contrast, the share of those expecting Ukraine to become a devastated country with significant population outflow rose from 28% to 47%.

Previously, optimism about Ukraine’s future correlated with perceptions of societal unity. But that connection appears to have disappeared. Among those who believe Ukraine is becoming more united, 43% are optimistic and 47% are pessimistic about the country's future. Among those who see growing division, the split is nearly identical: 44% optimistic versus 48% pessimistic.

The trend of growing perceptions of unity is seen across all regions. However, across all regions as well, the share of pessimists regarding Ukraine’s future has also increased. Regional differences remain minimal.

As in December 2024, respondents who trust the president are more likely to perceive societal unity. However, the relationship between trust in the president and optimism about Ukraine’s future has weakened significantly. In December, 71% of those who trusted the president were optimistic; now that figure has dropped to 41%. Meanwhile, 48% of those who do **not** trust the president now express optimism.

The survey was conducted using computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI) based on a random sample of mobile phone numbers across government-controlled areas of Ukraine. A total of 1,011 respondents aged 18 and older were interviewed, including internally displaced persons, but excluding Ukrainians living abroad.

Under normal conditions, the theoretical margin of error (with 95% confidence and a design effect of 1.3) would not exceed 4.1% for indicators close to 50% and 1.8% for figures near 5%. While wartime conditions introduce certain systemic biases, KIIS considers the results highly representative. (om/ez)