PUBLISHED August 7, 2025 11:31 AM EST – Key Points and Summary – A new Gallup poll released this week reveals a dramatic shift in Ukrainian public opinion, with a clear majority (69%) now favoring a negotiated end to the war with Russia.
-This is a sharp reversal from 2022, when 73% of Ukrainians supported fighting until victory.
-The poll also shows that hopes for joining NATO have faded significantly, and approval of U.S. leadership has plummeted to a record low of 16%.
-This shift in public sentiment comes as U.S. diplomatic efforts to secure a peace deal intensify ahead of a looming ceasefire deadline.
Polling Shows Support for War Declining in Ukraine
As the war between Ukraine and Russia continues, despite all efforts by the White House and other Western countries to end it, there are signs that the Ukrainian people are souring on the war.
In fact, per a new Gallup poll released this week, the majority of Ukrainians now favor ending the war, even if it means something other than total victory.
“Most Ukrainians now favor ending the war with Russia through negotiations, as support for fighting until victory has dropped sharply since the early days of the conflict,” the Gallup release said. “Although their hopes for joining NATO and the European Union have faded and approval of U.S. leadership has plummeted, Ukrainians still see the EU, U.K., and U.S. as key to ending the war. Yet, most doubt that will happen anytime soon.”
In the poll, 69 percent of respondents say they favor “a negotiated end to the war as soon as possible,” while 24 percent say they support “continuing to fight until victory.”
In 2022, shortly after the war started, those numbers were nearly the opposite, with 73 percent supporting fighting until victory, 22 percent preferring a negotiated peace agreement.
No End in Sight on the Ukraine War
“Support for the war effort has declined steadily across all segments of the Ukrainian population, regardless of region or demographic group. This shift comes as diplomatic efforts gain new traction,” the Gallup release says.
In recent days, as the White House’s Friday deadline for agreeing to a ceasefire approaches, presidential envoy Steve Witkoff has met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, while the Kremlin has announced that Putin plans to meet with Trump, possibly as soon as next week, it what would mark their first face-to-face meeting since Trump’s return to office.
However, there are few indications that Putin is prepared to make any significant concessions, much less bring the war to an end.
Despite all of that, few Ukrainians expect peace to arrive soon.
“Though a clear majority of Ukrainians now favor a negotiated end to the war as soon as possible, most are skeptical that active fighting will end soon,” Gallup said.
“One in four (25%) think it is likely that active fighting will come to an end within the next 12 months, although only 5% see it as ‘very likely.’ Over two-thirds (68%) think it is unlikely that active fighting will come to an end in the next year.”
Ukrainians also lack confidence in the U.S. to resolve the conflict.
“Ukrainians’ views of their most prominent military ally have shifted decisively since the early months of the war. In 2025, 16% of Ukrainians approve of U.S. leadership, while 73% express disapproval, a record high,” the Gallup poll said. “All of the goodwill that Washington built up in 2022, when 66% approved of U.S. leadership, has evaporated.”
“By contrast, perceptions of Germany have improved significantly this year. Leadership approval of Berlin has reached a record high of 63%, despite Germany’s more cautious stance in the war’s early months. Approval of Russia remains negligible (1%), while China continues to receive low ratings (8%), as it has since the war began,” the poll release said.
Entering Alliances?
Ukrainians have also lost hope that the country will become a member of the European Union or NATO.
“Ukraine has long expressed a desire to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which is seen by many as crucial to the country’s long-term security. In the first two years of the war, hopes were high for a quick accession to NATO, when clear majorities (64% in 2022 and 69% in 2023) expected Ukraine to be accepted within the next decade,” the Gallup poll said.
Russia has cited the fear of being “encircled” by NATO as a justification for the war.
“Hopes for a quick accession to NATO fell to 51% last year and have continued a downward trend, reaching 32% in 2025, half as high as in 2022. Meanwhile, the percentage who believe Ukraine will never be accepted into NATO has jumped to 33%.”
About the Author: Stephen Silver
Stephen Silver is an award-winning journalist, essayist, and film critic, and contributor to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Broad Street Review, and Splice Today. The co-founder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, Stephen lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two sons. For over a decade, Stephen has authored thousands of articles that focus on politics, national security, technology, and the economy. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @StephenSilver, and subscribe to his Substack newsletter.
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