The vast majority of Ukrainians (65%) currently do not support either side in the ongoing armed conflict involving the United States and Israel against Iran. This is evidenced by a recent sociological survey conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) between April 20 and 27, 2026. The findings highlight a significant shift in public sentiment in Ukraine amidst global geopolitical realignments and the escalation of hostilities in the Middle East.
According to the survey, only 22% of respondents expressed support for the joint military actions of the United States and Israel. At the same time, 7% of those polled said they support Iran, despite Tehran’s active military assistance to Russia in its war against Ukraine. Another 7% were either undecided or unaware of the conflict. Notably, this distribution of opinions remains relatively consistent across all demographic categories of respondents. While individuals with higher education levels were slightly more inclined to side with the US-Israel coalition, 61% of this group still chose not to support either side.
Anton Hrushetskyi, Executive Director of KIIS, pointed out that sympathy for Israel has been steadily declining since late 2023. “We have moved from overwhelming support for Israel following the horrific Hamas terrorist attack on October 7, 2023, to the current lack of support for the joint actions of the US and Israel against the Iranian regime,” Hrushetskyi explained. He emphasized a crucial nuance: previous surveys asked solely about Israel, whereas the latest questionnaire focused on the combined efforts of the US and Israel. Given the substantial criticism of the current US administration’s foreign policy by the Ukrainian public, the latest figures may reflect a critical attitude toward Donald Trump’s leadership rather than a direct negative sentiment toward Israel itself.
The Ukrainian public’s cautious stance is also rooted in the complex geopolitical landscape. Iran remains a key supplier of drones and weapons to Russia. However, Israel’s historical reluctance to provide military aid to Ukraine, out of fear of antagonizing Moscow, has caused frustration in Kyiv. Ukrainians see that Israel maintains ties with Russia—a country that openly cooperates with Israel’s enemy, Iran.
Despite the geopolitical skepticism, the survey confirms a consistently favorable and tolerant attitude toward the Jewish population within Ukraine. Social distance metrics show that Ukrainian Jews are widely embraced by society, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with ethnic Ukrainians. Members of the Jewish community are actively participating in the defense against Russian aggression. Furthermore, the Ukrainian government has maintained a strong institutional commitment to combating intolerance, as evidenced by legislation signed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that criminalizes antisemitism.
The KIIS survey was conducted via computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI) among 1,005 adult respondents residing in government-controlled territories of Ukraine. Under normal circumstances, the statistical margin of error for such a sample does not exceed 4.1%. The results underscore that Ukrainians are highly pragmatic, prioritizing their own national survival and maintaining a critical view of global conflicts that could divert essential Western resources away from their fight against Russian aggression.