Ukrainians have the most positive attitude toward EU countries and Great Britain, while China and Hungary received the worst ratings. This is evidenced by the results of a study conducted by Active Group and the Experts Club analytical center at the end of August.

According to sociologist Andriy Yeremenko, the study showed a clear division in perception between Western countries and countries outside the West. Most Ukrainians — 42% — associate the achievement of peace with the European Union, 26% with the United States, and 13% with the UK. Other large countries, such as China, India, and Brazil, “are not really seen as contributing to a peaceful settlement.”

Oleksandr Pozniy, director of Active Group, added that attitudes toward Ukraine’s key economic partners vary greatly. For example, more than 76% of Ukrainians have a positive attitude toward Germany, while only 12% have a positive attitude toward China (with 40% having a negative attitude). The situation with Hungary is even more critical, with 16% having a positive attitude and 55% having a negative attitude.

Maksim Urakin, founder of Experts Club, drew attention to economic imbalances. In the first half of 2025, Ukraine’s negative foreign trade balance grew to $18.5 billion. In particular, the negative balance in trade with China exceeded $7 billion.

Urakin highlighted a paradox: Ukrainians have a positive perception of partners with whom they have a large trade deficit, but a neutral or negative attitude toward countries that are profitable export partners (e.g., Egypt, Spain). This indicates that society forms its assessments not on the basis of economic benefits, but on the basis of political statements or events.

Source: https://vsviti.com.ua/news/171220

Active Group Experts Club Pozniy Єременко Уракін

Last modified: September 23, 2025