Ukrainians’ trust in Zelenskyy rises amid tensions with U.S. — KIIS poll

This is reported in a study by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS).

In early February, before tensions between Ukraine and the U.S. escalated—particularly the dispute between Zelenskyy and Trump—57% of respondents trusted the president, while 37% did not. The trust-distrust balance stood at +20%.

However, between February 14 and March 4, following the conflict in the Oval Office, trust in Zelenskyy rose to 67%, while the share of those who distrust him fell to 29%. The trust-distrust balance increased to +38%.

The survey results show a similar pattern across all regions of Ukraine.

"Trust in the president is somewhat lower in the east of the country, but even there, a majority of respondents expressed support—60% trust him, while 36% do not. In other regions (west, center, south), trust levels range from 66% to 69%, while the share of those who do not trust him is between 28% and 30%," the study states.

The survey was conducted via telephone interviews using a random sample of mobile numbers across Ukraine. A total of 1,029 citizens aged 18 and older participated.

KIIS notes that under normal circumstances, the statistical margin of error for such a sample does not exceed 4.1% for indicators close to 50%, 3.5% for those around 25%, 2.5% for figures near 10%, and 1.8% for values close to 5%.

Dispute in the Oval Office

On February 28, Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Washington for a working visit. During a press conference, a dispute arose between Trump, Zelensky, and U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance.

Following the argument at the White House, European leaders and U.S. politicians began expressing their support for Zelenskyy and Ukraine. Trump, however, stated that the Ukrainian president is "not ready for peace."

On March 3, several media outlets, citing senior U.S. officials, reported that Trump had ordered a halt to all ongoing military aid to Ukraine until he is convinced that the country’s leaders "demonstrate a sincere commitment to peace."

Later, Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that his meeting at the White House with Donald Trump did not go as expected and that it was time to "do everything right."

On March 4, J.D. Vance said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy could return to the White House "when he is ready to discuss a peace plan."