Almost two-thirds of Ukrainians said they are ready to endure the war as long as it takes, a survey by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) showed on Nov. 4.
A further 15% of respondents said they were willing to bear the burden of the war for a few more months, and 4% said they could endure it for six months. Some 6% percent said they are ready to endure for a year, and 12% could not answer.
According to the poll, positions on the matter have remained mostly stable since the beginning of the full-scale invasion in 2022. However, there was a slight drop in those willing to endure the war for as long as needed–from 73% in December 2023 and February 2024 to 63% in October.
The number of those who supported continuing the resistance only for a shorter period of time has also grown. This trend was especially noticeable in the south and east, where the share of respondents willing to endure the war for a year or more went from 71% to 57% and 73% to 48%, respectively.
The population of western and central Ukraine expressed high support and confidence regarding the resistance.
The poll was conducted between Sept. 20 and Oct. 3. on a representative sample of 989 people. It excluded those who fled abroad or lived in the Russian-occupied territories.
Ukraine finds itself in an increasingly difficult situation in the war. Russian forces keep advancing in the east at a pace unseen in 2024 while the country braces for renewed strikes on the energy grid and possible blackouts during winter.
A potential return of ex-President Donald Trump to the White House after the U.S. election on Nov. 5 also casts a shadow on the future of allied support for Ukraine.
Owen Racer
