You're reading: Poll: Over 90% of Ukrainians call Russia economic partner or friend

The overwhelming majority of Ukrainians have positive feelings for Russia, General Director of the IFAK-Ukraine international research agency Serhiy Hovorukha told aFeb. 18press conference in Kyiv.

"Forty-nine percent of Ukrainians call Russia an economic partner, and another 44% define it as a friend. Only 7% view Russia as a hostile nation," he said.

Fifty-one percent of the respondents hope for an improvement of Ukraine-Russia relations, and 6% expect deterioration, Hovorukha said.

Ukrainians do not mind post-Soviet integration, he said. Seventy percent support the Ukrainian participation in the common economic space.

Sixty percent support Ukraine’s integration with the European Union and 61% favor integration with the World Trade Organization (WTO). Meanwhile, 57% of the respondents oppose the Ukrainian entry into NATO.

Forty-three percent of Ukrainians think that the Russian Black Sea Fleet should stay in Sevastopol, 30% oppose a longer stay, and 27% are unable to answer the question.

Eighteen percent said that the fleet must leave Sevastopol ahead of time, and 56% oppose the early pullout.

The poll took place in 53 cities with the population larger than 50,000 on January 22-30, 2010. The margin of error is within 3%.