Ukraine’s former commander-in-chief and current ambassador to the UK, Valery Zaluzhny, topped the latest trust rankings among Ukrainian public figures, with 73% of respondents expressing confidence in him.
The findings come from a nationwide public opinion survey conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) between May 7 and June 3, 2026.
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Ratings for Ukrainian politicians
Among civilian politicians and public figures, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov ranked highest, with 52% trust and 19% distrust, giving him a net trust rating of +32.
He was followed by Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who received 50% trust and 21% distrust, for a net rating of +29; Fedorov previously served as Ukraine’s digital transformation minister and championed the country’s digitalization efforts.
President Volodymyr Zelensky ranked third among politicians, with 61% of respondents expressing trust and 34% distrust, resulting in a rating of +27.
Other public figures with positive trust ratings included the head of the Mykolaiv regional military administration (OVA), Vitaliy Kim (+20), the commander of the unmanned systems battalion and leader of the Radical Party, Oleh Liashko (+5), and public figure Serhiy Prytula (+2).
The remaining politicians recorded negative ratings.
Kyiv Mayor Vitalii Klitschko scored -11, Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko -14, lawmaker Dmytro Razumkov -19, and lawmaker Oleksii Honcharenko -23.
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The lowest trust ratings were recorded for former President Petro Poroshenko (-45), Yuriy Boyko (-72), and former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko (-75).
Military figures
All military and security figures included in the survey maintained positive trust ratings.
Zaluzhny led the overall ranking with 73% trust and 21% distrust, for a net rating of +52.
Commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces (USF), Robert “Madyar” Brovdi, recorded the strongest result in the survey, with 70% trust and only 7% distrust, giving him a rating of +63.
Head of Presidential Office Kyrylo Budanov – who previously served as chief of Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) – received 70% trust and 22% distrust (+48), while Third Army Corps commander Andriy Biletskyi scored +38, although about one-third of respondents said they were unfamiliar with him.
AFU Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky received 52% trust and 36% distrust, resulting in a positive rating of +16.
Survey logistics
The survey was conducted through telephone interviews using a random sample of mobile phone numbers and included 1,015 adult respondents living in Ukrainian-controlled territory.
KIIS Executive Director Anton Hrushetsky said the results show continued low trust in many established politicians, alongside strong public demand for leaders who have proven themselves during the war.
He noted that Fedorov stands out as a younger figure associated with technological innovation, while Terekhov is widely seen as a “strong manager” of a frontline city.
“However, we are talking about public demand in wartime conditions, when the need for a leader who serves as a ‘national defender’ is particularly strong,” Hrushetsky said.
He added that the stronger trust ratings for Zaluzhny and Budanov compared to Zelensky reflect public demand for military figures to play a larger role in Ukraine’s future leadership.
“If the war ends on favorable terms for Ukraine and there is a lengthy period before elections, public demand may shift – for example, toward reformers capable of ensuring the country’s prosperity, fighting corruption, and delivering economic development,” Hrushetsky said.
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