A survey conducted by Active Group and Experts Club shows that 58.1% of Ukrainians have a neutral attitude toward Saudi Arabia, while another 7.1% were unable to give a clear answer. This indicates a lack of deep emotional associations with this country in the mass consciousness.
At the same time, 25.2% of respondents have a generally positive attitude toward Saudi Arabia (21.9% — mostly positive, 3.4% — completely positive). A negative attitude was expressed by 9.5% of respondents (7.5% — mostly negative, 2.1% — completely negative).
“Saudi Arabia is associated with wealth, oil resources, and cutting-edge technological megaprojects. However, at the same time, cultural distance, limited rights, and a closed society create a mixed perception. The positive attitude is primarily due to the country’s active peacemaking position in the war,” comments Maxim Urakin, PhD in Economics and founder of the Experts Club information and analytical center.
The neutral and cautious attitude of Ukrainians towards Saudi Arabia shows that the country’s economic attractiveness does not always outweigh cultural stereotypes and a lack of deep contacts.
The presentation of the study is available at the link.
ACTIVE GROUP, DIPLOMACY, EXPERTS CLUB, Pozniy, SOCIOLOGY, URAKIN
According to a survey conducted by Active Group and the Experts Club analytical center, 56.6% of Ukrainians have a positive attitude toward New Zealand. In particular, 34.6% of respondents said they had a “mostly positive” attitude toward the country, and another 22.1% said they had a “completely positive” attitude.
A neutral position was taken by 37.4% of respondents, which indicates limited knowledge about the country, but without prejudice. Only 1.3% of respondents expressed a negative attitude (1.3% mostly negative, 0% completely negative), and 4.7% were unable to decide on an answer.
“New Zealand is perceived by Ukrainians as one of the most peaceful, progressive, and naturally attractive countries in the world. Its environmental policy, the well-being of its citizens, and its positive image in world culture create a consistently high level of sympathy,” commented Maksim Urakin, candidate of economic sciences and founder of the Experts Club information and analytical center.
New Zealand has a strong positive image among Ukrainians, despite its geographical remoteness. Its support for international values and reputation as a peaceful, developed country form the basis for this friendly attitude.
The presentation of the study is available at the link.
ACTIVE GROUP, DIPLOMACY, EXPERTS CLUB, Pozniy, SOCIOLOGY, URAKIN
According to the results of a sociological survey conducted by Active Group and the information and analytical center Experts Club in April 2025, the majority of Ukrainians — 63% — have a positive attitude toward Australia. Of these, 40% chose the option “mostly positive,” and another 23% — “completely positive.”
A neutral position was taken by 32.3% of respondents, while only 2.2% of citizens have a negative perception of Australia (1.9% — mostly negative, 0.4% — completely negative). It was difficult to answer — 2.4%.
“Australia has long formed an image in the minds of Ukrainians as a democratic, safe, and distant but friendly country. Its participation in international initiatives, in particular its support for Ukraine in the war, has further strengthened its positive image,” says Oleksandr Pozniy, co-founder of Active Group.
Australia ranks among the top countries in terms of Ukrainians’ favorability ratings. Its distant geographical location does not prevent the formation of a stable positive image based on international support, shared values, and cultural openness.
The presentation of the study is available at the link.
ACTIVE GROUP, DIPLOMACY, EXPERTS CLUB, Pozniy, SOCIOLOGY, URAKIN
According to the results of a sociological survey conducted by Active Group in collaboration with the information and analytical center Experts Club in April 2025, 70.3% of Ukrainians have a neutral attitude towards Indonesia.
This country is viewed positively by 17.9% of respondents, of which 13.1% are mostly positive and 4.9% are completely positive. On the other hand, only 4.5% of respondents are negatively disposed (4.1% are mostly negative and 0.4% are completely negative). Another 7.3% were undecided.
“Indonesia remains on the periphery of the information field for most Ukrainians. Despite its status as the fourth most populous country in the world, ties with Ukraine are rather limited. This shapes such a high level of neutrality in perception,” explains Maksim Urakin, PhD in Economics and founder of the Experts Club information and analytical center.
Ukrainians generally demonstrate moderate sympathy for Indonesia, although a neutral position remains dominant. This indicates a low level of awareness about the country against the backdrop of a lack of systematic contacts.
The presentation of the study is available at the link.
ACTIVE GROUP, DIPLOMACY, EXPERTS CLUB, Pozniy, SOCIOLOGY, URAKIN
On May 8, 2025, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine ratified a strategic agreement with the United States of America on the joint use of mineral resources, which was an important step in strengthening the economic partnership between the two countries. The agreement provides for the creation of a Joint Reconstruction Investment Fund, which will give the US priority access to Ukrainian minerals, including lithium, titanium, graphite, and uranium. At the same time, Ukraine expects increased military support and economic stability.
Volodymyr Khaustov, scientific secretary of the State Institution “Institute of Economics and Forecasting of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine,” honored economist of Ukraine, and candidate of technical sciences, shared his vision for the prospects of this agreement in a video from the Experts Club expert and analytical center.
“Ukraine has significant potential in the field of strategic mineral extraction. However, it should be understood that realizing this potential requires significant investment and time. Many deposits, particularly lithium deposits, are located in regions where infrastructure needs to be modernized and geological data is based on outdated Soviet research,” Khaustov said.
The expert also highlighted the technological challenges associated with the extraction and processing of Ukrainian minerals.
“Most lithium deposits in Ukraine contain ores that are difficult to enrich using existing technologies. This requires the development of new processing methods, which in turn requires time and financial resources,” he explained.
The agreement also stipulates that profits from joint projects will be reinvested in Ukraine during the first ten years, which should contribute to the country’s economic recovery. However, Khaustov warns against excessive optimism about quick results.
“The implementation of such large-scale projects is not a matter of one year. All risks and challenges, including geopolitical and economic ones, that may affect the implementation of the agreement must be taken into account,” he stressed.
Overall, the expert believes that the signing of the agreement with the US is an important step for Ukraine, opening up new opportunities for the development of the mining industry and strengthening the economy. However, the successful implementation of the agreements requires a comprehensive approach, strategic planning, and close cooperation between all interested parties.
“This is a chance for Ukraine to become an important player in the global market for strategic minerals. But this requires not only desire, but also real action, investment, and technological solutions,” Volodymyr Khaustov concluded.
Thus, the agreement between Ukraine and the US opens a new page in the economic partnership between the two countries, but its successful implementation depends on many factors that require careful analysis and balanced decisions.
You can learn more about Ukraine’s mineral resources in the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFI5sUBX3gc&t
You can subscribe to the Experts Club channel at: https://www.youtube.com/@ExpertsClub
Bulgaria evokes a moderately positive or neutral attitude among most Ukrainians. This is evidenced by the results of a sociological survey conducted by Active Group in cooperation with the Experts Club analytical center in April 2025.
According to the survey, 42.1% of respondents have a positive opinion of Bulgaria (33.6% — mostly positive, 8.4% — completely positive). Only 4.1% of respondents have a negative attitude (3.4% — mostly negative, 0.7% — completely negative). However, more than half of Ukrainians — 50.7% — took a neutral position, which is one of the highest rates among all countries. Another 3.2% were unable to answer.
“This result indicates not so much indifference as the lack of an active presence of Bulgaria in the Ukrainian information space. Its support is not denied, but it is not perceived as influential or strategic,” said Maksim Urakhin, founder of Experts Club.
To build a stronger image of Bulgaria in Ukraine, it is important not only to participate in international support, but also to communicate this through public communication.
The presentation of the study is available at the link.
ACTIVE GROUP, DIPLOMACY, EXPERTS CLUB, Pozniy, SOCIOLOGY, URAKIN
