A recent opinion poll conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) reveals a significant spike in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s approval rating, rising by 10 percentage points in just one month.
The survey, which was conducted between February 14 and March 4, shows that 67% of Ukrainians now express trust in their president—up from 57% a month earlier.
This surge in popularity comes amid an intense and highly publicized verbal battle between Zelensky and US President Donald Trump, culminating in a dramatic confrontation at the White House on February 28.
Trump, in a scathing attack, had referred to Zelensky as a “dictator,” a move that, according to analysts, appears to have backfired. Rather than weakening Zelensky’s standing, the contentious remarks seem to have united the Ukrainian public behind their president, researchers suggest.
“We are witnessing a unification of society in the face of external challenges,” said Anton Grushetsky, executive director of KIIS. He argued that many Ukrainians saw Trump’s criticism as not just an insult to their president, but an affront to the entire nation.
Interestingly, the poll results reflect broad support for Zelensky across the country, although trust in the president was slightly lower in the eastern regions of Ukraine, at 60%. In contrast, nationwide, only 29% of respondents expressed distrust towards Zelensky.
The poll comes on the heels of a particularly turbulent period for Zelensky, which included Trump’s bombastic comments about Zelensky’s approval ratings. On February 18, Trump erroneously claimed that Zelensky had just a “four percent approval rating” and pushed for presidential elections, despite martial law in place.
Trump followed up a day later, calling Zelensky a “dictator,” a statement that the Ukrainian president vehemently rejected, accusing Trump of being trapped in a Russian “disinformation space.”
Zelensky’s approval rating appears to have weathered this storm, with the latest poll suggesting that public opinion has solidified in his favor.
However, the timing of the poll means it doesn’t fully account for the suspension of US military aid to Ukraine on March 3, an event that the researchers believe will influence Zelensky’s approval in future surveys.
In the heated political climate, where global power dynamics intertwine with Ukraine’s struggle for sovereignty, this poll reveals a key shift: the more aggressive the international attacks on Zelensky, the more resolute the Ukrainian public becomes in supporting their leader. It seems that in the eyes of many, this is no longer just about Zelensky’s leadership but a broader defense of Ukraine’s dignity and future.
