A clear majority of Ukrainians – 70% of those surveyed – do not believe that the current negotiations will lead to a lasting peace. These findings were published by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS).

According to the report, 70% of respondents say they do not expect the ongoing talks to result in sustainable peace. Meanwhile, 25% believe that such an outcome is possible, and 5% remain undecided. Compared to mid-January 2026, public opinion on this issue has not changed.

KIIS Executive Director Anton Hrushetskyi noted that Ukrainians continue to view the present peace negotiations with caution, and most do not hold optimistic expectations about their success.

He explained that the realities on the ground — including continued Russian pressure on the front despite heavy losses, ongoing attacks against civilians, attempts to deprive people of electricity during the winter, and uncompromising statements from Russian leadership — give Ukrainians little reason to believe that Russia genuinely intends to end the war soon. Many Ukrainians are convinced that if Russia is prepared to stop the war, it would only be on terms amounting to Ukraine’s effective capitulation, and that no alternative conditions would be accepted.

At the same time, he emphasized that Ukrainians remain open to discussing difficult compromises, provided they do not involve surrender or the loss of sovereignty.

Between February 12 and 24, 2026, KIIS conducted a nationwide public opinion survey titled “Omnibus.” The poll was carried out using computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI) based on a random sample of mobile phone numbers across all regions of Ukraine under government control. In total, 2,004 respondents were interviewed.

Peace negotiations – latest updates

Serhiy Kyslytsia, First Deputy Head of the Presidential Office and a member of the negotiation team, stated that the military working group involved in the talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the United States has completed about 90% of its assigned tasks.

According to him, the remaining issues require political decisions and therefore cannot be finalized at the military level. He also stressed that this working group has no alternative, as its efforts are directly tied to the possibility of ending the war.

Kyslytsia suggested that several more meetings may take place and expressed confidence that once the necessary political decisions are made, the military group will be able to conclude its work.