Lost illusions. 80% of Ukrainians for visas and customs with Russia - sociologist Paniotto

The proportion of visa supporters with Russia in Ukraine has increased from 40 to 80%since the beginning of the war, said the CEO of KIIS Vladimir Paniotto. (Photo: dpsu. gov. ua) CEO of the Kiev International Institute of Sociology Vladimir Paniotto in an interview with NV said that Ukrainians have finally lost illusions about the possibility of normal relations with the Russian Federation and 80% are now maintaining a customs and visa regime with the aggressor country.

Paniotto noted that Ukraine made its geopolitical choice in 2014 - the majority of the population wanted to unite with Europe, not with Russia. At the same time, according to the sociologist, by February 2014, only 40% of Ukrainians supported a visa and customs regime with Russia, and about half of Ukrainians wanted to have a special relationship with a special relationship - without visas and customs with the country.

"Perhaps this is because many Ukrainians have relatives in Russia, and they would like to leave the potential to see them without obstacles," said the Central Director. Paniotto noted that, according to the KIIS survey on November 2021, 43% of Ukrainians replied that they had close relatives in Russia, another 14% replied that they had relatives in Russia, but they did not consider them close.

“The proportion of respondents who have such relatives increases from 33% in the West to 53% in the East. And now almost 80% would like visas and customs with Russia - from 88% in the West to 70% in the East. That is, this percentage has doubled - from 40% to 80%, ”he explained.