More than half of Ukrainians categorically reject the possibility of transferring the entire Donbas under Russian control in exchange for security guarantees from the United States and Europe. This is shown by the results of a nationwide public opinion poll conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology at the end of January.
According to KIIS, 52% of respondents consider such a peace condition absolutely unacceptable. At the same time, 40% are ready to accept the transfer of Donbas to Russia in exchange for security guarantees, while acknowledging that such a concession would be difficult. Another 7% of respondents were unable to decide. Compared to mid-January 2026, the figures have remained virtually unchanged and are within the margin of statistical error.
The survey was conducted on January 23–29, 2026, using telephone interviews among 1,003 adult citizens of Ukraine living in government-controlled territory. The study also included an experiment using the “imagined acquaintance” method, the results of which were virtually identical to direct responses, which, according to the sociologists, indicates the sincerity of respondents’ positions on this issue.