Poland remains one of the most positively perceived countries by Ukrainians, despite some controversies in bilateral relations. This is evidenced by the results of an all-Ukrainian survey conducted by Active Group in cooperation with the Experts Club information and analytical center in August 2025.
According to the survey, 56.7% of Ukrainian citizens have a positive attitude towards Poland (44.3% – mostly positive, 12.3% – completely positive). Only 12.7% of respondents expressed a negative attitude (11.3% – mostly negative, 1.3% – completely negative). Another 30.0% of Ukrainians are neutral, and 1.0% said they are not sufficiently aware of this country.
“For Ukrainians, Poland is not only a neighbor, but also one of their key economic partners. In the first half of 2025, total trade between Ukraine and Poland exceeded $6.66 billion. At the same time, exports from Ukraine amounted to $3.03 billion, and imports from Poland exceeded $3.62 billion. The negative balance of $591 million does not seem critical, given the scale and strategic nature of cooperation,” said Maksym Urakin, founder of Experts Club.
In turn, co-founder of Active Group Oleksandr Poznyi emphasized that the positive attitude of Ukrainians towards Poland has deeper reasons than just the economy.
“We are talking about historical proximity, support for Ukrainian refugees, and Warsaw’s political solidarity in important international issues. At the same time, the economic dimension only strengthens these relations, making Poland one of Ukraine’s leading partners both in the EU and globally. It is the combination of political, humanitarian and economic components that explains the high level of sympathy in society,” he added.
The survey was part of a broader study of international sympathies and antipathies of Ukrainians in the current geopolitical context.
The full video can be viewed here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgC9TPnMoMI&t
You can subscribe to the Experts Club YouTube channel here:
https://www.youtube.com/@ExpertsClub
ACTIVE GROUP, DIPLOMACY, EXPERTS CLUB, POLAND, Posniy, SOCIOLOGY, TRADE, URAKIN
According to information published in the Ukrainian media, former Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council (NSDC) of Ukraine Oleksandr Litvinenko may become the next Ukrainian ambassador to Serbia. This was reported by Verkhovna Rada deputy Oleksiy Goncharenko on his Telegram channel, citing sources in the presidential administration.
It is reported that Vladimir Zelensky will soon approve Litvinenko’s appointment to the diplomatic mission in Belgrade by decree.
There has been no official confirmation from the Office of the President or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine yet.
Oleksandr Valeriyovych Litvinenko, born on 27 April 1972 in Kyiv, is a Ukrainian statesman and public figure.
Education: graduated from the Institute of Cryptography, Communications and Informatics of the Russian FSB Academy (1994), received academic degrees in Kyiv and London.
He began his career in the Security Service of Ukraine (1994–1998), then held positions in the National Security and Defence Council, the Security Service and the National Institute for Strategic Studies.
In 2021–2024, he headed the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine.
On 26 March 2024, by presidential decree, he became Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council, holding this position until July 2025, after which he was dismissed.
Litvinenko is a Doctor of Political Science, professor, major general, and Honoured Worker of Science and Technology of Ukraine.
According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Litvinenko is ‘a professional with an excellent reputation,’ and he himself is a key figure in the formation of diplomatic strategies.
It is expected that after the decree is signed, the appointment will be sent to the Serbian Assembly for approval. If the candidacy is approved, Alexander Litvinenko will head the Ukrainian diplomatic mission in Belgrade.
The main task is to strengthen bilateral political and economic dialogue, strengthen Ukraine’s position in the Balkans and promote European integration.
The appointment of Oleksandr Litvinenko as Ukraine’s ambassador to Serbia reflects Kyiv’s desire to strengthen its diplomatic presence in the Balkans. His experience working in the National Security and Defence Council, the Foreign Intelligence Service, and strategic institutions makes him a strong candidate for strengthening Ukrainian-Serbian relations.
A solemn diplomatic reception was held in Kyiv on the occasion of the 34th anniversary of the declaration of independence of the Republic of Slovenia. The event brought together representatives of the Ukrainian government, diplomatic corps, the public and businesses operating in Ukraine. The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Slovenia to Ukraine, Ms. Mateja Prevolšek, delivered a speech.
In her address, the Ambassador emphasized the commonality of the historical challenges that Slovenia and Ukraine have faced in their struggle for independence, democracy and national identity.
“Slovenia is celebrating its 34th birthday. At the same time, Ukraine gained its independence, because it was an era full of changes, new ideas and hopes for freedom, democracy and economic development,” Mateja Prevolšek said.
She emphasized that despite the obvious geographical and demographic differences, the two countries have been maintaining close partnerships for over 30 years. According to her, Slovenia is firmly committed to supporting Ukraine’s European course and its struggle for freedom.
“I have had and have the opportunity to see the courage of the Ukrainian people, their desire for a better future in their own country, visiting many Ukrainian regions, cities and villages to support projects within the framework of Slovenian development cooperation and humanitarian aid,” the diplomat added.
Slovenia supports a number of initiatives in Ukraine, including rehabilitation of veterans, training of psychologists and teachers to work with traumatized children, and cooperation between Ukrainian and Slovenian municipalities.
The guests were especially warm when the Ambassador told them about her personal decision to learn Ukrainian. She emphasized the importance of preserving linguistic identity for both Slovenes and Ukrainians.
“It was a very good decision, because I will not only learn the melodiousness of your language, but I will also be able to communicate with people and better understand their feelings,” Ms. Prevolšek emphasized.
At the end of her speech, the Ambassador expressed her gratitude to all Slovenian companies operating in Ukraine that contributed to the organization of the reception, as well as to the diplomatic team and her husband for their support.
The reception ended with the traditional raising of glasses in honor of the friendship between Slovenia and Ukraine, which, according to the Ambassador, “was born out of a difficult past, but is confidently moving towards a common future.”
A survey conducted by Active Group in partnership with Experts Club found that among South American countries, Ukrainians have the highest level of sympathy for Argentina. According to data published in April 2025, 8.4% of respondents expressed a completely positive attitude toward this country, and another 29.3% expressed a mostly positive attitude. Thus, Argentina has the highest positive balance in the region — 34.6%.
Brazil came in second place in terms of support, with a total of 33.3% positive ratings (6.4% completely positive, 26.9% mostly positive) and a balance of 23.9%. Chile shows rather restrained sympathy: 4.3% of respondents were completely positive, 15.1% mostly positive, giving a balance of 13.3%. Peru, Bolivia, and Uruguay were at or slightly above 10% positive balance.
It is particularly noteworthy that for Bolivia this figure is 8.6%, despite a fairly high level of neutral attitudes — 70.5%.
The situation is much worse for Colombia, which has the lowest balance in the region — minus 4.5%. 18.1% of respondents expressed a mostly negative opinion, which significantly outweighs the total 14.6% of positive perceptions. Venezuela also has a negative balance of minus 2.1%, mainly due to political instability and negative associations in the media.
Most South American countries are perceived by Ukrainians as mostly neutral. In Paraguay, Suriname, Guyana, and Uruguay, the level of neutrality ranges from 71% to 74%. This indicates weak emotional contact and insufficient presence of these countries in Ukraine’s information space.
“Latin American countries remain largely outside the scope of active Ukrainian interest, which creates both challenges and opportunities. Where the level of neutrality is high, there is room for diplomacy, cultural exchange, and building a positive image,” comments Maxim Urakin, PhD in Economics and founder of Experts Club.
According to new sociological data published by Active Group in collaboration with Experts Club in April 2025, Ukrainian public opinion on South and East Asian countries and Oceania varies significantly. Japan, Australia, and New Zealand are in favor, while China and some countries in Southeast Asia show either a negative or neutral balance.
Japan received the highest positive rating among the countries in the region, with 62.4% of Ukrainians having a positive attitude towards it, including 26.9% who are completely positive and 39.1% who are mostly positive. It is followed by Australia and New Zealand with an identical net balance of 60.7%. In Australia, 23% of respondents chose the completely positive option, in New Zealand — the same, while more than 40% in each country gave a “mostly positive” rating.
South Korea, with 15.1% completely positive ratings and 34.6% mostly positive, has a respectable balance of 35.7%, although lower than the leaders. Thailand (36.4% positive perception) and Singapore (33.8%) also hold relatively high positions thanks to their stable image associated with tourism and development.
In contrast, countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar are dominated by neutral assessments — over 60% — indicating limited awareness or an information vacuum. In all these countries, the positive balance does not exceed 10%.
Despite its economic weight, China has one of the worst images among Ukrainians in the region: 15.9% expressed a mostly positive opinion, but 35.5% rated China neutrally, and the negative balance was -23.2%. This reflects a certain distrust that has formed against the backdrop of geopolitical events and the information background.
“It is particularly interesting that even Ukraine’s economically important partners, such as China (its largest trading partner), receive low support ratings among Ukrainians. This indicates that Ukrainian society values moral support above real trade and does not recognize “neutrality” if it is not accompanied by humanitarian gestures,” comments Maxim Urakin, PhD in Economics and founder of Experts Club.
Thus, the results indicate that there is significant potential for countries in the region, particularly Southeast Asia, to improve their image in Ukraine through cultural diplomacy, tourism marketing, and economic cooperation.
In April 2025, Active Group, in collaboration with the Experts Club think tank and the SunFlower Sociology platform, conducted a survey on the attitudes of Ukrainian citizens toward Central Asian and Caucasian countries. The results show a predominantly neutral or moderately positive perception of the region, with Georgia and Kazakhstan as clear leaders in terms of favorability.
Georgia received the largest share of positive ratings: 16.8% of Ukrainians said they had a completely positive attitude, and another 37.0% said they were mostly positive. Together, this forms a positive balance of 40%. Kazakhstan has a similar level of sympathy: 11.6% completely positive, 34.2% mostly positive, with a net balance of 41.9%. Azerbaijan ranks third with a total positive rating of 42.4%, although neutral assessments significantly prevail there — 45.4%.
In contrast, the countries of Central Asia are dominated by neutral responses: 63.4%, 64.3%, 66.4%, and 61.3% in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, respectively. All of them have a balance of sympathy below 12%, and Turkmenistan even shows zero support (-0.2%), mainly due to low awareness.
On the other hand, 8.4% have a completely positive attitude towards Armenia and 29.9% have a mostly positive attitude, putting it in fourth place with a balance of 35.5%.
“Despite their shared Soviet heritage, Ukrainian society views Central Asian countries mostly through the prism of caution or indifference. At the same time, the examples of Georgia and Kazakhstan demonstrate that close intergovernmental ties and a positive media presence can significantly influence public opinion,” comments Maxim Urakin, PhD in Economics and founder of Experts Club.
Thus, the study’s conclusions indicate that in a region with potential for interaction with Ukraine, the key factor is not only historical memory, but also contemporary diplomatic and cultural activity.
