According to a survey conducted by the Ukrainian weekly newspaper Dzerkalo Tyzhnia, a significant number of Ukrainians are in favor of initiating peace negotiations with Russia. The survey, however, did not include responses from individuals residing in Crimea or other areas in the east and south currently under Russian control.

The findings of the survey revealed that 43.9% of Ukrainians in Kyiv-controlled areas believe that "the time has come for the start of official peace talks between Ukraine and Russia." In contrast, 35% of respondents were against the idea of launching negotiations, while 21% remained undecided.

Support for peace talks was highest in the southern regions of Ukraine, with approximately 60% of respondents favoring negotiations. Similarly, nearly half of the population in the central regions expressed support for initiating peace talks. However, in the western parts of the country, which are traditionally seen as a stronghold of the Ukrainian-speaking population and pro-Western sentiment, only 35% of the respondents were in favor of starting peace talks with Moscow.

The survey indicated that the lowest support for negotiations was found in Ukraine's eastern regions, where only 34% supported talks. Ukrainian officials noted that the eastern region of Donetsk has witnessed some of the most intense fighting during the ongoing conflict.

Interestingly, an overwhelming majority of respondents rejected Russian President Vladimir Putin's demands for ending the war. In June, Putin stated that he would agree to a ceasefire and peace talks if Ukraine withdrew its troops from four regions in the south and east, which Russia claims to have annexed. However, almost 83% of those surveyed opposed a Ukrainian withdrawal from the claimed regions.

In addition, Putin demanded that Kyiv abandon any aspirations of joining the NATO military alliance. The survey revealed that nearly 59% of respondents were against enshrining military nonalignment in Ukraine's constitution.

The survey offers valuable insights into Ukrainians' perspective on peace negotiations with Russia. While a significant portion of the population supports starting talks, there remains substantial opposition to Putin's demands, particularly regarding territorial withdrawal and NATO aspirations. The results highlight the complexity of the political environment and the challenges ahead in achieving lasting peace in Ukraine.