After more than four years of war, Ukrainians’ desire for peace coexists with the fear of renewed aggression. The surveys examined show that support for negotiations does not mean accepting any terms or abandoning resistance. Amid exhaustion, uncertainty and continuing resolve, Ukrainian society seeks an end to the war that will provide security for the future.
More than four years after the full-scale invasion began, Ukrainians’ mood cannot be captured in a single word. The desire to end the war coexists with the fear that an insecure peace could pave the way for renewed aggression.
The shift since 2022 has been profound. According to Gallup, in April 2026, 66% of respondents wanted Ukraine to negotiate an end to the war as soon as possible, while 24% supported continuing the fight until victory. In 2022, the proportions were almost reversed: 73% favoured continuing the fight and 22% favoured negotiations. The survey reveals changing priorities without establishing which concessions people would accept.
A desire for negotiations, however, does not mean a willingness to accept any terms. In a survey conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology — KIIS — on 8–16 October 2026, 73% disagreed with the statement that Ukrainian authorities should be more accommodating in negotiations to reach an agreement with Russia. That response concerns the specific wording of the question; it does not amount to rejecting every possible compromise.
This apparent contradiction is essential to understanding Ukrainian society: people can want the fighting to stop while also believing that certain peace terms would threaten their future.
The KIIS survey conducted on 16–25 October found that 63% said they were prepared to endure the war for as long as necessary. Another 21% indicated a period ranging from a few months to six months. The first figure reflects a continuing willingness to resist; the second suggests that a significant part of society feels close to the limits of its endurance. However, statements about willingness to endure war do not directly measure each individual’s psychological condition.
Nor is there widespread hope that the war will end soon. In the KIIS survey of 8–16 October, only 10% expected the war to end by the close of 2026, while 56% anticipated an end in the second half of 2027 or later. People can continue resisting without believing that their ordeal will soon be over.
These findings must be read with their limitations in mind. The KIIS survey of 16–25 October included 828 adults living in Ukrainian government-controlled territory. It did not include residents of occupied territories or refugees who had fled abroad. Their experiences cannot be assumed to be identical.
The data suggest a society seeking a way out of war while remaining concerned about what would follow a ceasefire. They do not establish agreement on territorial concessions or any specific peace settlement.