Zelensky poll ratings dropping, still highest among top officials

Public support for Ukrainian President Zelensky is
steadily declining, though it remains far higher than for any top state
official, according to poll results published on Apr. 2 by the Kyiv
International Institute for Sociology. About 46% of Ukrainians have a positive
view of Zelensky’s policies (compared to 60% in December). About 21% have a
negative view, compared to 14% in December. Meanwhile, 29% of Ukrainians have a
positive view of Parliamentary Speaker Dmytro Razumkov (compared to 37% in December).
Only 12% have a positive view of Internal Affairs Minister Arsen Avakov, 11%
have a positive view of Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal (65% have a neutral view
of him, being appointed on Mar. 4), and only 6% have a positive view of
President’s Office Head Andriy Yermak (appointed on Feb. 11). About 35% have a
negative view of Avakov, and 38% have a negative view of Yermak.

About 70% of the public believes the Ukrainian
government has not succeeded in halting the warfare in Donbas and establishing
peace, according to the same poll. About 75% believe the government hasn’t
succeeded in fighting corruption at the highest echelons of government, while
48% believe it hasn’t succeeded in combatting the coronavirus pandemic in
Ukraine. About 40% believe it has succeeded so far. About 70% of the public
believes the government has failed to provide adequate access to medical
services. About 65% believes it has failed to combat the economic crisis and
support domestic producers. The poll was conducted between Mar. 27 and 30
involving 1,500 respondents.

Zenon Zawada: These
numbers largely fall in line with the results released yesterday by another
polling firm. They confirm that Zelensky
continues to enjoy the public’s trust, despite the enormous problems he faces
and his inability to resolve many of them (war in Donbas, fighting corruption,
economic improvement). Instead, the public is blaming those surrounding him. We
believe the public perceives Zelensky as an honest average Joe who is trying to
do his best in a sea of sharks. It’s not clear how the public will continue to
extend Zelensky its pity, and excuse him for his failings, before it will begin
to turn on him. But indeed, his poll number are slowly falling.

The public is correct in its assessment that the
Zelensky administration is failing to resolve the war in Donbas, failing to
fight corruption, failing to improve the economy and failing to improve the
healthcare system. We believe the one issue that helped get Zelensky elected,
resolving the war in Donbas, is the one issue that can save his presidency. We
are confident the Russians recognize that the public has little trust in the
government, and that Zelensky’s support is gradually eroding. We are confident
the Kremlin will resist anything short of Ukraine’s full capitulation in Donbas
in order to sow further public distrust, social tensions and economic suffering
in with the ultimate goal of installing a loyal government, or dissolving
Ukrainian statehood. These outcomes are entirely possible in the next few
years.