Ukrainians Stand Firm: No Easy Peace with Russia

In Ukraine, most people are not willing to make big compromises for peace. A recent survey shows that three out of four Ukrainians think it's wrong to give up land or limit their military without solid security promises. This puts President Zelenskiy in a tough spot as he tries to negotiate with Russia while dealing with pressure from the U. S. to end the war quickly. The poll, done by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, found that while 72% of Ukrainians might accept a deal that freezes the current battle lines, they are not okay with giving up territory or cutting back their military without clear security guarantees. This shows that Ukrainians are ready to keep fighting rather than accept a bad deal.Trust in the U. S. and NATO has dropped among Ukrainians. Only 21% trust Washington now, down from 41% last year. Trust in NATO has also fallen. This makes it hard for Zelenskiy to push for a peace deal that includes security guarantees from the U. S. , as many Ukrainians might not believe they are real. U. S. President Donald Trump has been pushing for a quick peace deal and even suggested holding elections in Ukraine, which is not allowed under martial law. However, only 9% of Ukrainians want elections before the war ends. Most see this push for elections as a way to weaken Ukraine. Despite a recent corruption scandal, trust in Zelenskiy has gone up to 61%. This shows that Ukrainians still support their leader, even if they are not happy with some of his decisions. The survey highlights that Ukrainians are ready to keep fighting and are not willing to make big concessions for peace.