A recent survey showed that most Ukrainians do not want to give up any land captured by Russia, even though their army is struggling against Russian advances. The survey, done in October 2024, found that 58% of Ukrainians are firmly against giving up any territory to Russia in exchange for peace.
Even though Russia has been gaining ground in the eastern Donetsk region, Ukrainians still want to hold on to their land. The survey was conducted during a time when there were concerns that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump might push Ukraine to give up land to end the war. Trump has said he could end the fighting quickly, but without explaining how.
The survey showed that although the situation is tough, the number of people willing to give up some land has increased to 32% from just 10% at the beginning of the war. However, most Ukrainians are still opposed to giving up any territory.
When asked about specific regions, 46% of Ukrainians said they might accept giving up areas like Donbas and Crimea, but many of them said it would be very hard to accept. Donbas is a region in the east that Russia controls, and Crimea was taken by Russia in 2014. Despite Ukraine’s military challenges, the country is still determined not to give up any of its land.