Business news from Ukraine

Against the backdrop of pan-European support for Ukraine, Ukrainians’ attitude towards Slovakia remains controversial. These data were published in April 2025 based on the results of a study conducted by Active Group and the Experts Club analytical center.

According to the survey, only 19.8% of Ukrainians have a positive attitude toward Slovakia (16.4% — mostly positive, 3.4% — completely positive). At the same time, 34.6% of respondents expressed a negative attitude (27.3% — mostly negative, 7.3% — completely negative). The majority of respondents (41.5%) chose a neutral position, while another 4.1% were undecided.

“Despite geographical proximity and some humanitarian support, public opinion on Slovakia has been shaped by political fluctuations and weak communication on issues related to aid to Ukraine,” said Maxim Urakin, founder of Experts Club.

The survey emphasizes that even neutral or allied countries can lose trust if they do not support it with active actions and a public position.

The presentation of the study is available at the link.

Despite Poland’s long-standing support for Ukraine and its assistance to millions of refugees, Ukrainians’ perceptions of Poland are mixed. This is evidenced by the results of a sociological survey conducted by Active Group in cooperation with the Experts Club think tank in April 2025.

62.8% of respondents expressed a positive attitude towards Poland (41.3% — mostly positive, 21.5% — completely positive). However, the negative perception rate is relatively high — 12.9% (11.0% — mostly negative, 1.9% — completely negative). Another 22.1% of respondents remain neutral, and 2.2% are undecided.

“This result reflects a complex set of factors, ranging from a high level of gratitude for assistance to periodic tensions in the political and information spheres. Neighbourhood always carries both the potential for partnership and the risk of misunderstanding,” commented Maxim Urakin, founder of Experts Club.

Despite everything, Poland remains among the countries with a high level of trust in Ukrainian society, but at the same time needs to maintain its image in the long term.

The presentation of the study is available at the link.

Sweden is among the countries toward which Ukrainians demonstrate consistent sympathy and almost complete absence of criticism. These conclusions were drawn based on the results of a sociological survey conducted by Active Group in cooperation with the Experts Club information and analytical center in April 2025.

According to the survey results, 70.3% of respondents have a positive attitude toward Sweden (35.3% — mostly positive, 35% — completely positive). Only 1.9% gave a negative assessment (1.5% — mostly negative, 0.4% — completely negative). Another 25.4% of Ukrainians took a neutral position, and 2.4% abstained from answering.

“The high level of positive attitudes toward Sweden can be explained by its consistent policy of supporting democracy, human rights, and assistance to Ukraine, in particular humanitarian and security assistance,” said Oleksandr Pozniy, co-founder of Active Group.

The results indicate that Sweden, like other Northern European countries, is shaping an image in Ukraine as a reliable partner with clear principles.

The presentation of the study is available at the link.

According to a survey conducted by Active Group and Experts Club, 26.7% of Ukrainians have a positive attitude toward Pakistan, while 12.0% express a negative attitude. At the same time, the majority of respondents (55.3%) take a neutral position, which indicates a low level of awareness or emotional interest in this country.

“Despite its geopolitical importance, Pakistan rarely appears in the Ukrainian media, especially in a positive light. This shapes a predominantly neutral, sometimes stereotypical perception. However, the proportion of positive attitudes demonstrates the openness of Ukrainian citizens to new partnerships and cultures,” notes Maksim Urakhin, founder of the Experts Club information and analytical center.

Pakistan has a chance to shape a new image in the eyes of Ukrainian society through cultural, educational, or economic initiatives that will shift perceptions in a positive direction.

The study is available at the link.

Hungary is one of the few countries in the European Union that provokes a critical or negative attitude among a significant part of Ukrainians. This is evidenced by the results of a sociological survey conducted by Active Group in collaboration with the Experts Club analytical center in April 2025.

56.1% of Ukrainians surveyed expressed a negative attitude toward Hungary (36.6% — mostly negative, 19.4% — completely negative). Only 12.5% of respondents have a positive perception (8.4% — mostly positive, 4.1% — completely positive). Another 27.9% remained neutral, and 3.6% abstained from answering.

“The reason for this level of distrust is the consistent policy of official Budapest, which often runs counter to the positions of Ukraine and its allies in the EU and NATO. Ukrainians clearly note these differences,” said Oleksandr Pozniy, co-founder of Active Group.

These results signal the need to rethink bilateral relations and the importance of transparent diplomacy.