According to a survey conducted in March 2026 by the research firm Active Group in collaboration with the Experts Club information and analytical center, Ukrainians’ attitudes toward Georgia are predominantly positive, with only minor changes compared to the previous period. The overall share of positive assessments stands at 57.3%, which is slightly higher than in August 2025 (56.3%). At the same time, the level of negative perception has decreased from 10.7% to 9.8%, indicating a gradual softening of critical assessments.
The structure of positive attitudes is fairly balanced: 19.3% of respondents chose “completely positive,” while another 38.0% selected “mostly positive.” This indicates the presence of both emotionally strong and rationally restrained positive perceptions of the country. At the same time, the share of neutral assessments remains significant—31.7%—which indicates a moderate level of engagement or awareness among Ukrainians regarding Georgia.
Negative assessments are relatively limited. The share of those with a “mostly negative” attitude stands at 8.2%, while “completely negative” accounts for only 1.6%. This results in an overall low level of critical perception of the country against the backdrop of a predominantly positive or neutral image.
The dynamics of change between August 2025 and March 2026 are insignificant, indicating the stability of perceptions of Georgia within Ukrainian society. A slight increase in positive assessments and a simultaneous decrease in negative ones may indicate a gradual strengthening of the country’s positive image; however, these changes are not dramatic.
The high proportion of neutral responses, combined with a moderately high level of positive sentiment, suggests that Ukrainians perceive Georgia as a friendly country that does not dominate the public or media sphere. This distinguishes it from states with a more pronounced emotional or political influence, where the share of positive or negative assessments is more concentrated.
Thus, Georgia maintains a stable positive image in Ukraine, based on a combination of a friendly attitude and moderate distance. Further changes in perception will likely depend on the intensity of bilateral contacts, media presence, and the political context of interaction between the countries.
According to a study conducted by the Experts Club information and analytical center based on data from the State Customs Service, Georgia ranks 45th in total trade volume with Ukraine as of December 31, 2025, with a figure of $386.7 million. At the same time, Ukraine has a trade surplus with Georgia of $194.1 million, as exports of Ukrainian goods significantly exceed imports.
The study was presented at the Interfax-Ukraine press center; the video can be viewed on the agency’s YouTube channel. The full version of the study can be found at this link on the Experts Club analytical center’s website.
ACTIVE GROUP, EXPERTS CLUB, GEORGIA, Pozniy, SOCIOLOGY, SURVEY, UKRAINE, URAKIN
According to a survey conducted in March 2026 by the research company Active Group in collaboration with the Experts Club information and analytical center, Ukrainians’ attitudes toward Iraq are characterized by a significant proportion of neutral and negative assessments, which collectively form a generally reserved and distant image of the country. According to the survey results, positive attitudes account for only 8.4%, while negative ones account for 35.2%, indicating a significant imbalance in perception. At the same time, more than half of the respondents (50.6%) hold a neutral position, indicating a limited level of formed perceptions about Iraq.
The structure of positive assessments is quite weak: only 2.1% of respondents expressed a “completely positive” attitude, and another 6.3% said it was “mostly positive.” This is one of the lowest figures among the countries included in the study. In contrast, negative perceptions are significantly more pronounced: 24.2% of respondents chose “mostly negative,” and 11.0% selected “completely negative.”
Despite this, a certain positive trend is observed compared to August 2025. The share of positive assessments rose from 5.7% to 8.4%, while negative ones decreased slightly—from 37.0% to 35.2%. This may indicate a gradual softening of perceptions, although the overall balance remains negative.
The high proportion of neutral responses, combined with a significant level of negativity, indicates the specific nature of perceptions of Iraq in Ukraine. On the one hand, a significant portion of the population lacks sufficient information or personal experience to form a clear position. On the other hand, existing perceptions are likely linked to the global information context, which tends to foster a cautious or critical attitude.
“If we see a high proportion of neutral assessments alongside significant negativity, it means the country is present in the information space, but this presence does not create a positive image. In such cases, it is important to work not only on economic cooperation but also on communication and reputation. Without this, neutrality can gradually transform into a persistent negative perception,” noted Maksym Urakin, founder of the Experts Club information and analytical center.
Thus, Iraq remains a country with a limited level of trust and weak positive identification for Ukrainians. The future dynamics of perception will depend on whether this country can strengthen its presence in Ukraine’s positive informational and economic context.
According to a study conducted by the Experts Club Information and Analytical Center based on data from the State Customs Service, Iraq ranks 44th in terms of total trade in goods with Ukraine, amounting to $392.8 million. This is one of the most striking examples of a positive trade balance for Ukraine, as nearly the entire volume of bilateral trade consists of Ukrainian exports, and the positive balance amounts to $392.2 million.
The study was presented at the Interfax-Ukraine press center; the video can be viewed on the agency’s YouTube channel. The full version of the study can be found at this link on the Experts Club analytical center’s website.
ACTIVE GROUP, EXPERTS CLUB, IRAQ, Pozniy, SOCIOLOGY, SURVEY, UKRAINE, URAKIN
Finland is among the group of countries that consistently enjoy a high level of trust among Ukrainians. According to a survey conducted in March 2026 by Active Group in collaboration with the Experts Club information and analytical center, 76.2% of respondents have a positive attitude toward this country, indicating its consistently positive image in Ukrainian society. At the same time, the share of negative assessments is minimal—only about 1.1%, which is effectively within the margin of error.
The structure of positive perceptions is evenly distributed: 38.0% of respondents expressed a “completely positive” attitude, while another 38.2% described it as “mostly positive.” This balance indicates not only general approval but also deep trust in Finland as a partner. At the same time, 21.4% of respondents hold a neutral position, which may be explained by the country’s relatively limited presence in Ukraine’s everyday information landscape.
Negative assessments remain marginal: 0.9% of respondents chose the “mostly negative” option, and only 0.2% selected “completely negative.” The share of those who could not decide on an answer is 1.2%. This pattern indicates the absence of systemic factors that could shape a negative image of Finland in Ukraine.
Overall, Finland is perceived as a country with a high level of institutional trust, stability, and consistent policies. Its image in Ukrainian society is shaped not only by its political stance but also by associations with effective governance, a social model, and high living standards.
The high level of positive attitude also reflects a broader trend: Northern European countries are perceived by Ukrainians as reliable partners who demonstrate consistency in their policies and support for Ukraine. Against this backdrop, Finland is consolidating its position as one of the countries with the most stable positive image, without significant fluctuations in perception.
“Ukrainians quite clearly distinguish between countries based on the level of trust and predictability of their policies. Where there is consistency and a clear position, a stable positive attitude is formed. That is why countries like Finland maintain high ratings regardless of short-term fluctuations in public opinion,” noted Oleksandr Pozniy, director of the research company Active Group.
According to a study conducted by the Experts Club information and analytical center based on data from the State Customs Service, Finland ranks 43rd in total trade volume of goods with Ukraine, with a figure of $392.9 million. At the same time, imports from Finland are nearly seven times higher than Ukrainian exports, resulting in a trade deficit of $293.5 million.
The study was presented at the Interfax-Ukraine press center; the video can be viewed on the agency’s YouTube channel. The full version of the study can be found at this link on the Experts Club analytical center’s website.
ACTIVE GROUP, EXPERTS CLUB, FINLAND, Pozniy, SOCIOLOGY, SURVEY, UKRAINE, URAKIN
The Experts Club analytical center has analyzed the latest trends in the metallurgical sector and the data of the industry’s largest association, the World Steel Association. In 2026, according to the World Steel Association, the global steel market will move from a phase of prolonged adjustment to weak growth: global demand will increase by 0.3%, to 1.724 billion tons, and in 2027 it will accelerate to 1.762 billion tons, or by 2.2%. The association itself believes that the market is passing through the bottom of the 2025–2026 cycle after the structural pressures that had restrained demand since 2022. This means that the global steel industry is gradually emerging from its downturn, but it is doing so very unevenly across regions.
The key conclusion for Ukraine is that the external environment for metallurgy is, on the whole, no longer deteriorating. Worldsteel expects that in 2027 all major developed economies, including the EU, the US, Canada, Japan, and Korea, will already show positive steel demand dynamics. For the EU and the UK, steel consumption is forecast to grow by 1.3% in 2026 and by 3% in 2027, while for the US the figures are 1.7% and 2% respectively. This is important for Ukraine because the European market remains its main external reference point, both in terms of steel product sales and future industrial cooperation.
At the same time, the recovery in global demand will be asymmetric. China, which still determines the global market environment, will continue to reduce steel demand in 2026, though only by 1.5%, and in 2027, according to the association, will move to almost flat dynamics. The main driver of growth among major markets remains India, where demand is expected to increase by 7.4% in 2026 and by 9.2% in 2027. In the developing world excluding China, growth, on the contrary, will slow to 2.5% in 2026 because of the conflict in the Middle East, but will then recover.
For Ukraine, this means that the global market does not promise a sharp price or volume breakthrough, but neither does it create a scenario of a new collapse. In other words, over the next two years the decisive factor for Ukrainian metallurgy will no longer be so much global demand as Ukraine’s own ability to maintain and expand steelmaking, ensure energy supply, logistics, and access to export routes. In this sense, the external market environment is becoming moderately favorable rather than deteriorating, but it is not a saving grace.
Against this background, Ukraine’s own indicator looks restrained. At the end of 2025, the country produced 7.409 million tons of steel, which was 2.2% lower than the 2024 level, and ranked 21st in the world. This figure is significantly lower not only than pre-war levels, but also below the scale that once allowed Ukraine to influence the regional market as one of the major European players.
If the global market is indeed entering a phase of moderate recovery, then the window of opportunity for Ukraine will be determined not so much by whether global demand grows by 0.3% or 2.2%, but by whether the country can restore production volumes at least to a stable double-digit level in millions of tons. Worldsteel’s positive outlook for the EU, growing infrastructure and defense spending in Europe, as well as stabilizing demand in the developed world create the basis for higher consumption of Ukrainian steel in the future. But this opportunity will be realized only if Ukraine restores its own industrial capacity, not automatically.
In a broader sense, the Worldsteel forecast shows that steel is once again becoming an indicator of industrial policy. Where infrastructure investment, railways, defense budgets, and machine-building are growing, demand for metal returns. Ukraine’s post-war recovery strategy should consider metallurgy not as a separate export sector, but as a foundation for construction, machine-building, transport infrastructure, and defense production. Only in this case can even moderate global growth translate into a more tangible internal industrial effect for the country.
The World Steel Association (Worldsteel) brings together steel producers, industry associations, and research institutes from all key steel-producing countries. The association’s members account for around 85% of global steel output.
Over the past 25 years, the world’s demographic dynamics have increasingly diverged in two directions: some countries are experiencing explosive population growth, while others are facing steady decline. According to a Visual Capitalist visualization based on UN data, in 2000–2025 the largest population decrease was recorded in Ukraine, while the fastest growth was seen in Qatar. The study is based on the estimates and projections of the UN’s World Population Prospects 2024.
The top 10 countries by population decline in 2000–2025 included Ukraine (-32.5%), the Marshall Islands (-29.4%), Bulgaria (-23.2%), Latvia (-21.6%), Moldova (-18.8%), Lithuania (-17.5%), Puerto Rico (-16.7%), Romania (-16.1%), Serbia (-13.1%), and Albania (-12.8%). The top 10 countries by population growth included Qatar (+423.4%), the UAE (+249.7%), Equatorial Guinea (+166.6%), Niger (+157.0%), Bahrain (+153.9%), Papua New Guinea (+149.6%), Angola (+139.7%), Kuwait (+139.1%), Oman (+129.1%), and Chad (+126.9%). These figures were cited by Visual Capitalist in two April publications.
For Ukraine, this ranking is especially alarming. According to Visual Capitalist, the country lost about one-third of its population over 25 years. The broader demographic background is also confirmed by materials from Our World in Data based on UN data: in 2022–2023 alone, net migration from Ukraine amounted to around 6 million people, which became a direct consequence of the full-scale war.
Experts Club believes that Ukraine’s demographic crisis has already become not only a social issue, but also an economic one. Population decline means a shrinking domestic market, a worsening labor shortage, growing pressure on the pension and healthcare systems, as well as deteriorating long-term conditions for investment. This logic is consistent with UN assessments of the role of declining birth rates, population aging, and migration in shaping new global demographic imbalances.
At the same time, the global picture also shows the opposite pole. The growth leaders — primarily the Gulf countries and a number of African states — increased their populations either through a massive inflow of labor migrants or through high birth rates. The UN notes that global population growth is continuing, but its pace is slowing, and the main contribution to further population increase will come not from Europe, but primarily from Africa and certain migration centers.
For Ukraine, this leads to at least two conclusions. First, without the return of at least part of the citizens who have left, support for families with children, and a stronger labor market policy, the demographic decline will continue to undermine the economy. Second, the problem has long gone beyond statistics: in the coming years, demography may become one of the main constraints on the country’s post-war recovery.
According to the results of a public opinion poll conducted in March 2026 by the research company Active Group in collaboration with the Experts Club information and analytical center, Ukrainians’ attitudes toward Kazakhstan are characterized by a predominance of neutral assessments and a moderate level of positive perception, which, however, shows a certain decline compared to the previous period. The share of positive attitudes stands at 38.2% compared to 42.7% in August 2025, while negative assessments have risen slightly—from 8.0% to 8.9%.
A key feature is the dominance of a neutral stance: 50.8% of respondents do not have a clear assessment of Kazakhstan. This indicates a relatively low level of emotional engagement among Ukrainians in their perception of this country and Kazakhstan’s limited presence in Ukraine’s information and public sphere.
The structure of positive assessments appears balanced: 12.1% of respondents expressed a “completely positive” attitude, while another 26.1% described it as “mostly positive.” At the same time, negative attitudes are formed primarily through moderate assessments: 8.2% of respondents chose the “mostly negative” option, while only 0.7% selected “completely negative.” The share of those who could not answer is 2.1%.
The trend indicates a certain cooling of positive perceptions of Kazakhstan. Although negative assessments remain relatively low, their gradual increase, combined with a decline in positive sentiment, may signal a weakening of interest or trust in the country among the Ukrainian public.
Overall, Kazakhstan is perceived as a country with a neutral image, without a clearly defined emotional assessment. Such a profile is characteristic of states that do not play a prominent role in the Ukrainian information space or are not associated with political or security processes that are key to Ukraine.
In this context, future shifts in attitudes will largely depend on how actively Kazakhstan engages in relations with Ukraine and how prominent its role becomes on the international agenda relevant to Ukrainian society.
According to a study conducted by the Experts Club information and analytical center based on data from the State Customs Service, Kazakhstan ranks 42nd in total trade volume with Ukraine, amounting to $400.2 million. At the same time, Ukraine has a trade surplus with Kazakhstan of $245.3 million, as exports exceed imports by more than four times.
The study was presented at the Interfax-Ukraine press center; the video can be viewed on the agency’s YouTube channel. The full version of the study can be found at this link on the Experts Club analytical center’s website.
ACTIVE GROUP, EXPERTS CLUB, KAZAKHSTAN, Pozniy, SOCIOLOGY, SURVEY, UKRAINE, URAKIN
