(PatriotWise.com) — Despite Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s assurances that the Ukrainian people are willing to continue the fight against Russia until its forces are driven from the country, a recent survey found that Ukrainians are nearly evenly divided over which direction the country should take in the conflict with Russia, Newsweek reported.
In a November survey by the Rating Group, 44 percent of Ukrainian respondents said it was important to consider compromising with Russia to reach a negotiated peace, and other countries should be enlisted to help achieve a settlement.
Another 48 percent, however, remain insistent that there should be no negotiations with Moscow until Kyiv retakes full control of all of the territories that it lost to Russia.
While a plurality remains behind President Zelensky, the Rating survey still reflects a significant downturn in support for continuing the war until Russia is forced out.
In similar surveys conducted in both February and July, only 35 percent of respondents supported negotiating with Russia, while a solid majority, 60 percent, supported fighting until Russia was defeated.
In the Rating survey, most of the support for negotiation and compromise was found among young people between 18 and 35 who live in eastern Ukraine. Most of those who want Ukraine to continue fighting are older, ages 36 to 50, and live in the western part of the country.
In an exclusive interview with the Associated Press last week, President Zelensky conceded that the much-hoped-for counteroffensive failed to achieve the results Ukraine had anticipated. However, he insisted that Ukraine was not prepared to stop fighting.
Zelensky told the Associated Press that the counteroffensive failed to achieve the desired results because there wasn’t “enough power” and Kyiv failed to obtain “all the weapons we wanted.”
At the same time, Zelensky said that shouldn’t mean that his country should “give up” or surrender. He said the Ukrainian people are “confident in our actions” and would continue fighting “for what is ours.”
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