Ukrainians show the highest level of trust in institutions that are directly responsible for the country's defence – the Armed Forces, the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR), the National Guard, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the State Border Service. Most respondents also trust the President of Ukraine. On the other hand, more Ukrainians distrust the Verkhovna Rada and the government than trust them.

This is evidenced by data from a sociological study commissioned by the Kyiv Security Forum on the eve of the Munich Security Conference.

The survey covered Ukrainians' expectations regarding the end of the war, trust in the state, other countries and international institutions, as well as the resilience of households in the face of attacks on energy infrastructure.

The majority of respondents trust the President of Ukraine – the balance of attitudes (the difference between positive and negative assessments) is +9.3% (40.2% – tend to trust, 11.5% – completely trust). Compared to September 2025, the indicator has decreased slightly – at that time, the balance was +12%.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine remain the undisputed leader in terms of trust – the trust balance is +88.5% (57.4% – tend to trust, 36.9% – completely trust). Compared to September 2025, the indicator has increased by 1.5% – at that time, the balance was +87%.

Other defence institutions also demonstrate a high level of trust:

The Main Intelligence Directorate received a balance of +63.4% (62.4% – tend to trust, 16% – completely trust, an increase in the positive balance of 7%),

the National Guard +59.4% (59.2% – tend to trust, 18.1% – completely trust),

the Security Service of Ukraine +51.4% (60.9% – tend to trust, 11.9% – completely trust, an increase in the positive balance of almost 10%),

State Border Service +50.1% (56.1% – tend to trust, 14.1% – completely trust, decrease in positive balance by 5%).

Over the past six months, Ukrainians' trust in the NABU has grown significantly: the balance improved from minus 25.2% in September 2025 to minus 3.6% in February 2026. Currently, 38.3% of respondents trust the Anti-Corruption Bureau (32.5% – tend to trust, 5.8% – completely trust), 32.6% tend not to trust, and 9.3% do not trust at all.

Trust in the National Police stands at 37% (32.5% – tend to trust, 4.5% – completely trust), distrust – 54.7% (42.7% – tend not to trust, 12% – do not trust at all), the balance was minus 17.7%. The indicator has deteriorated by 16.5% compared to September 2025, when the balance was minus 1.2%.

The prosecutor's office is trusted by 25% of respondents. 46.2% tend not to trust it, and 11% do not trust it at all. The balance was minus 32.2%. In September 2025, it was minus 36.1%.

Judicial system: 23.1% of respondents trust it, 58.3% do not trust it (45.5% tend not to trust it, 12.8% do not trust it at all), and 18.7% find it difficult to answer. The balance was minus 35.2%. Trust in the judicial system has increased compared to September 2025, when the balance was minus 51.4%.

The Ukrainian government received a balance of minus 54% (49.8% – rather do not trust, 25.2% – do not trust at all). In September 2025, the balance of trust was minus 47.7%.

The lowest level of trust among the state bodies mentioned in the survey was recorded for the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine – a balance of minus 77.4% (51.3% – rather do not trust, 35.9% – do not trust at all). Compared to September 2025, trust in parliament has declined further – at that time, the balance was minus 59.5%.

Negotiations with Russia

Half of Ukrainians are sceptical about the progress of the negotiations. 32.7% believe that the Ukrainian authorities are conducting negotiations with the US, the EU and Russia on a possible peace agreement ‘rather unsuccessfully’, 17.4% – ‘unsuccessfully’.

33.6% of respondents assess the negotiation process positively: 30.7% – ‘rather successful’, 2.9% – ‘successful’. 16.3% find it difficult to answer.

The sociological survey was commissioned by the Kyiv Security Forum and conducted by The Razumkov Center on government-controlled Ukrainian territories from January 31-February 04, 2026, using phone interviews. A total of 1,003 respondents aged 18 and older living in all regions of Ukraine (except for the Autonomous Republic of Crimea) were interviewed. The survey was conducted among citizens who were in Ukraine at the time, in areas controlled by the Ukrainian government and covered by Ukrainian telephone operators. The structure of the sample population reflects the demographic structure of the adult population in the territories where the survey was conducted as of the beginning of 2022 (by macro-regions, age, gender, type of settlement). The theoretical sampling error does not exceed 3.2%.

The full text of the study is available here.

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