Most Ukrainians demand global security guarantees for talks with Russia - sociologist
Most Ukrainians understand that reaching agreements with Russia is impossible without security guarantees from the international community, Oleksiy Antypovych, head of the Rating sociological group, said in an interview with NV on Dec. 30.
He highlighted that when choosing between war and negotiations to resolve issues diplomatically, most Ukrainians favor negotiations. However, a portion of the population believes that Ukraine should fight until a definitive victory is achieved.
“Most are still open to negotiations, but even Ukrainians willing to negotiate understand that agreements with Russia are impossible without international guarantees or support from our global partners — guarantees are essential,” sociologist said.
He also noted that Ukrainians struggle to define what victory should look like.
“When we ask Ukrainians in our sociological surveys about what victory means, the overwhelming majority consistently respond that we need the 1991 borders," he explained.
"However, there’s also skepticism about whether achieving those 1991 borders is realistic. Then, other scenarios emerge — 2022 borders, or nowadays frontlines. But these alternatives require robust security guarantees — NATO membership, EU accession, or NATO forces in Ukraine. Only with such assurances can some Ukrainians justify conceding parts of their territory.”
Antypovych also mentioned that Ukrainians might accept these conditions for freezing the war but remain doubtful that Russia will cease its territorial ambitions.
According to a survey by INFO SAPIENS, commissioned by the New Europe Center and conducted from Nov. 15 to Nov. 27, 2024, 64% of respondents believe that negotiations with Russia should not begin without security guarantees from the West.
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