67% of Ukrainians Expect New Post-War President

A growing majority of Ukrainians expect a major political shake-up after Russia’s invasion ends, including a new president, despite continued support for current President Volodymyr Zelensky during wartime, according to a new survey.

The poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS), conducted between May 7 and June 3, found that 88% of respondents expect some form of reset in Ukraine’s central government after the war, up from 73% three years ago.

The sharpest increase was recorded regarding the presidency. While only 23% of Ukrainians expected a change in the presidency after the war in 2023, that figure has nearly tripled to 67%.

The findings highlight what sociologists describe as a distinctly wartime attitude among Ukrainians: support for unity and institutions during Russia’s invasion, combined with a growing desire for political renewal once peace returns.

The survey found that 83% of respondents expect a post-war reset of parliament, compared with 69% that was reported three years ago.

Expectations for government renewal rose even more – from 47% to 74%.

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At the same time, KIIS said the results should not be interpreted as support for immediate elections. Previous surveys consistently show that most Ukrainians oppose holding elections while the war is ongoing.

“President Zelensky remains a legitimate head of state in the eyes of the majority of Ukrainians, and most citizens continue to oppose elections until the war is over,” KIIS Executive Director Anton Hrushetskyi said.

According to Hrushetskyi, many Ukrainians who still trust Zelensky prioritize national unity and institutional stability during what he described as an existential war against Russia.

However, those same voters often favor new leadership once wartime conditions end.

“They believe there are reasons to criticize the president, but they avoid uncompromising political confrontation because the priority is to withstand the war,” Hrushetskyi said.

“After the war, in peacetime, these people would like to see someone from a new generation of leaders become president,” he added.

The survey also shows that attitudes toward a post-war presidential reset vary significantly depending on trust in Zelensky. Among those who fully trust the president, only 33% support replacing him after the war. Among respondents who said they would “rather trust” him, support for a change rises to 68%.

Nearly all respondents who distrust Zelensky favor a new president.

The nationwide telephone survey interviewed 1,000 adults living in government-controlled areas of Ukraine, with a margin of error of no more than 4.1%, according to KIIS.