According to Experts Club, Italy and Spain have the highest levels of positive attitudes among Ukrainians among the Southern European countries included in the study—70.1% and 65.2%, respectively. At the same time, a significant portion of respondents hold a neutral stance toward Greece and Slovenia, while attitudes toward Serbia remain the most mixed. This is evidenced by the results of the third wave of the study “Ukrainians’ Attitudes Toward Countries Around the World,” conducted by Active Group in collaboration with Experts Club, reports the Experts Club Information and Analytical Center.
Italy has the best result in the regional group: 70.1% of respondents view it positively, 25% neutrally, 2.9% negatively, and another 2% were undecided. The balance of positive and negative assessments stands at 67.2 percentage points. In March 2026, it was slightly higher—69.7 percentage points—but compared to August 2025, when the figure stood at 55 percentage points, attitudes remain significantly more favorable.
Spain is viewed positively by 65.2% of respondents, neutrally by 31.3%, and negatively by only 1.6%. The balance stands at 63.6 percentage points, compared to 62.7 percentage points in March and 52 percentage points in August of last year. Thus, among the Southern European countries surveyed, Spain is the one showing consistent growth in the balance compared to previous waves.
49.7% of Ukrainians view Greece positively, 44.2% neutrally, and 3.9% negatively. The balance of positive and negative assessments stands at 45.8 percentage points, compared to 50.1 percentage points in March 2026 and 44.7 percentage points in August 2025. This indicates a relatively stable perception of the country, with positive and neutral assessments predominating.
Regarding Slovenia, 40.3% of respondents expressed a positive attitude, while nearly half—49.9%—took a neutral stance. 6.7% view the country negatively, and the balance stands at 33.6 percentage points, the same as in March 2026.
The most contrasting results in the group were recorded for Serbia. 22.7% of Ukrainians view it positively, 20.4% negatively, and the majority, 53.4%, hold a neutral position. The balance stands at plus 2.3 percentage points. At the same time, the trend has improved compared to August 2025, when the indicator was negative—minus 12.3 percentage points.
Maksym Urakin, founder of Experts Club, deputy director of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency, and candidate of economic sciences, emphasized the need for foreign partners to communicate more actively with Ukrainian society.
“The first recommendation is to regularly showcase concrete achievements and specific actions. The second is to be open to questions and inquiries from the media and the public,” Urakin noted.
According to him, sociological data can help diplomatic missions and businesses assess public perception and build bilateral relations more effectively.
Oleksandr Pozniy, director of the research firm Active Group, highlighted the need to combine public awareness with the development of practical economic cooperation.
“We need to do more than just raise general awareness. First and foremost, business associations, the Ministry of Economy, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs need to take action,” Pozniy noted.
According to him, the most promising areas are those where Ukraine can deepen bilateral ties and increase exports.
In a broader context, the study shows that Ukrainians’ attitudes toward most Southern European countries remain positive or neutral. Italy and Spain score particularly high, while public opinions regarding Serbia are significantly more polarized, although the balance has improved over the past year.
The survey was conducted in August 2026 using self-administered online questionnaires in the SunFlowerSociology panel among 800 Ukrainian citizens aged 18 and older. The sample is representative by age, gender, and region, and the stated maximum theoretical margin of error for indicators at the 50% confidence level is ±3.5 percentage points. This is the third wave of the study, following surveys conducted in August 2025 and March 2026.
ACTIVE GROUP, EXPERTS CLUB, GREECE, ITALY, SERBIA, SLOVENIA, SOCIOLOGY, SOUTHERN EUROPE, SPAIN, UKRAINE
Canada has the highest balance of positive and negative attitudes among Ukrainians—not only among the countries represented in the Americas and Australia, but also among all countries covered by the study: in August 2026, it stood at 73.8 percentage points. Australia scored 61.6 percentage points, the U.S. — 38.4 percentage points, and Brazil — 19.4 percentage points. These findings are based on the results of the third wave of the study “Ukrainians’ Attitudes Toward Countries Around the World,” conducted by Active Group in collaboration with Experts Club, according to the Experts Club Information and Analytical Center.
Canada is viewed positively by 76.3% of Ukrainians surveyed, negatively by only 2.5%, neutrally by 19.2%, and another 2% were undecided. As a result, the balance of positive and negative assessments stands at 73.8 percentage points—the highest value among Ukraine’s 50 largest trading partners included in the study.
Australia ranks second in this regional group: 63.8% of respondents expressed a positive attitude toward it, 32.1% were neutral, only 2.2% were negative, and another 2% were undecided. The balance of positive and negative assessments stands at 61.6 percentage points, which also indicates a predominantly positive perception of the country among the Ukrainian audience.
Fifty-five percent of respondents view the U.S. positively, 16.6% negatively, 25.6% neutrally, and another 2.7% were unable to answer. The balance stands at 38.4 percentage points. At the same time, this figure has improved significantly compared to the previous survey wave: in March 2026, the figure was 19.4 percentage points, while in August 2025, it was 32.3 percentage points. Thus, over the course of five months, the balance of attitudes toward the U.S. has increased by 19 percentage points.
Brazil is viewed much more neutrally. Twenty-eight percent of Ukrainians expressed a positive attitude, while 59.7% chose a neutral response, 8.6% expressed a negative attitude, and another 3.7% were undecided. The balance of positive and negative assessments stands at 19.4 percentage points, compared to 21 percentage points in March 2026 and 12 percentage points in August 2025.
Thus, the data reveal significant differences within the group: Canada and Australia are characterized by a high level of established positive attitudes; in the U.S., positive assessments also predominate and have increased noticeably compared to March, while a neutral stance dominates regarding Brazil. Overall, Canada tops the entire ranking of the surveyed countries with a balance of +73.8 percentage points
Maksym Urakin, founder of the Experts Club Information and Analytical Center, deputy director of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency, and candidate of economic sciences, emphasized the need for systematic communication between foreign countries and Ukrainian society.
The survey was conducted in August 2026 using self-administered online questionnaires in the SunFlowerSociology panel among 800 Ukrainian citizens aged 18 and older. According to the organizers, the sample is representative in terms of age, gender, and region; the maximum theoretical statistical margin of error for indicators at the 50% confidence level is ±3.5 percentage points. This is the third wave of the study, following surveys conducted in August 2025 and March 2026.
ACTIVE GROUP, AMERICA, AUSTRALIA, BRAZIL, CANADA, EXPERTS CLUB, PUBLIC OPINION, SOCIOLOGY, the U.S., UKRAINE, URAKIN
Georgia has the highest balance of positive and negative attitudes among Ukrainians among the countries of the Caucasus and Central Asia included in the study—48.5 percentage points. Azerbaijan scored 40.1 percentage points, while Uzbekistan’s score was 11.1 percentage points. These findings come from the third wave of the study “Ukrainians’ Attitudes Toward Countries Around the World,” conducted by Active Group in collaboration with Experts Club, according to the Experts Club Information and Analytical Center.
57.3% of Ukrainians surveyed view Georgia positively, 32.1% neutrally, 8.8% negatively, and another 1.8% were undecided. The balance of positive and negative assessments stands at 48.5 percentage points and has gradually increased over the three waves of the survey: from 45.6 percentage points in August 2025 to 47.5 percentage points in March 2026 and 48.5 percentage points in August of this year. The current figures for positive attitudes and the balance are confirmed by the published survey data.
A positive attitude toward Azerbaijan was expressed by 48.7% of respondents, a neutral one by 39.5%, a negative one by 8.6%, and another 3.1% chose the “difficult to answer” option. The balance stands at 40.1 percentage points. Compared to March 2026, it has risen from 37.8 percentage points, but remains lower than the August 2025 level of 51 percentage points. In terms of the share of positive assessments, Azerbaijan ranks second in this regional group after Georgia.
Attitudes toward Uzbekistan are characterized primarily by a high proportion of neutral assessments. 25.6% of respondents view the country positively, 55.6% neutrally, 14.5% negatively, and another 4.3% are undecided. The balance between positive and negative responses is 11.1 percentage points. In the study’s analytical materials, the high proportion of neutral responses is noted as a characteristic feature of perceptions of countries in the region that receive less media attention from the Ukrainian audience.
Thus, the balance remains positive for all three countries surveyed, but the structure of the assessments differs significantly. In the case of Georgia, the overwhelming majority of respondents express a positive attitude; positive assessments also prevail regarding Azerbaijan, while a neutral stance dominates in assessments of Uzbekistan.
Maksym Urakin, founder of the Experts Club Information and Analytical Center, deputy director of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency, and candidate of economic sciences, emphasized the importance of systematic communication between foreign partners and Ukrainian society.
“Second, we must be open to questions and inquiries from the media and the public. We also need to make use of our sociological data,” Urakin noted. According to him, it is important for embassies to regularly inform the Ukrainian audience about specific results of cooperation and to maintain full-fledged communication in the Ukrainian language.
Oleksandr Pozniy, director of the research company Active Group, drew attention to the need to develop the practical component of international economic cooperation.
“We should focus not only on raising general awareness. We need to expand cooperation with countries where we can achieve a positive trade balance,” Pozniy noted. He also highlighted the role of business associations, the Ministry of Economy, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in developing bilateral relations.
The survey was conducted in August 2026 using self-administered online questionnaires via the SunFlowerSociology panel. A total of 800 Ukrainian citizens aged 18 and older were surveyed. According to the organizers, the sample is representative in terms of age, gender, and region, and the maximum theoretical margin of error for indicators at the 50% confidence level is ±3.5 percentage points. This is the third wave of the survey, following surveys conducted in August 2025 and March 2026.
ACTIVE GROUP, AZERBAIJAN, Central Asia, EXPERTS CLUB, GEORGIA, international relations, Pozniy, SOCIOLOGY, the Caucasus, UKRAINE, URAKIN, UZBEKISTAN
According to Experts Club, France and the Netherlands have the highest share of positive attitudes among Ukrainians among the Western European countries included in the study — 72.8% and 71.2%, respectively. Germany is viewed positively by 69.9% of respondents, and Switzerland by 66.9%. These findings come from the third wave of the study “Ukrainians’ Attitudes Toward Countries Around the World,” conducted by Active Group in collaboration with Experts Club, reports the Experts Club Information and Analytical Center.
According to the results of the August survey, 22.5% of respondents have a neutral attitude toward France, 3.7% have a negative attitude, and another 1% were undecided. The balance of positive and negative assessments stands at 69.1 percentage points, compared to 69.9 percentage points in March 2026 and 71 percentage points in August 2025.
For the Netherlands, the balance of positive and negative attitudes stands at 69.6 percentage points. Specifically, 71.2% of respondents view the country positively, 26.4% neutrally, and only 1.6% negatively. In March 2026, the balance was slightly higher—71.5 percentage points—while in August 2025 it stood at 61 percentage points.
69.9% of Ukrainians view Germany positively, 23.5% neutrally, and 5.5% negatively. Its net balance fell to 64.4 percentage points, compared to 73.9 percentage points in March and 72.7 percentage points in August of last year. Thus, among the six Western European countries surveyed, Germany showed the most significant decline in this indicator between March and August 2026.
Switzerland is viewed positively by 66.9% of respondents, negatively by only 1.4%, and 29.7% hold a neutral view. The balance stands at 65.5 percentage points, compared to 67.1 percentage points in March.
Belgium is the only country in this group where the balance increased in August compared to March—from 56.4 to 58.5 percentage points. 59.9% of respondents view the country positively, 36% neutrally, and 1.4% negatively. In August 2025, the balance stood at 54.4 percentage points
Austria received the lowest share of positive responses among the Western European countries surveyed—52.6%. At the same time, only 2.7% of Ukrainians view it negatively, while 41.7% chose a neutral response. The balance stands at 49.9 percentage points, compared to 53.3 percentage points in March 2026 and 44 percentage points in August 2025. Overall, the data indicate that the lower levels of positive attitudes toward Belgium and Austria are primarily due to a higher proportion of neutral, rather than negative, assessments.
Maksym Urakin, founder of the Experts Club Information and Analytical Center, deputy director of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency, and candidate of economic sciences, emphasized the importance of systematic communication between foreign partners and Ukrainian society.
“The first recommendation is to regularly showcase concrete achievements and specific actions. The second is to be open to questions and inquiries from the media and the public,” Urakin noted.
Oleksandr Pozniy, director of the research company Active Group, for his part, drew attention to the link between public awareness and the practical development of bilateral cooperation.
“We should focus not only on raising general awareness. We need to expand cooperation with countries where we can achieve a positive balance,” Pozniy noted.
The survey was conducted in August 2026 using self-administered online questionnaires in the SunFlowerSociology panel among 800 Ukrainian citizens aged 18 and older. According to the organizers, the sample is representative in terms of age, gender, and region; the maximum theoretical statistical margin of error at a 95% confidence level is 3.5%. This is the third wave of the study, following surveys conducted in August 2025 and March 2026.
ACTIVE GROUP, AUSTRIA, BELGIUM, EXPERTS CLUB, FRANCE, GERMANY, SOCIOLOGY, SWITZERLAND, THE NETHERLANDS, UKRAINE, WESTERN EUROPE
The Czech Republic and Moldova have the highest net sentiment—the balance of positive and negative attitudes—among Ukrainians among the Central and Eastern European countries included in the study—56.2 and 48.2 percentage points, respectively. At the same time, the balance of attitudes toward Poland turned negative in August 2026, while assessments of Slovakia and Hungary improved significantly compared to previous waves. This is evidenced by the results of the third wave of the study “Ukrainians’ Attitudes Toward Countries Around the World,” conducted by Active Group in collaboration with Experts Club, according to the Experts Club Information and Analytical Center.
The Czech Republic received the highest share of positive assessments in this group—61.3%. 32.1% of respondents have a neutral attitude toward it, 5.1% have a negative attitude, and another 1.6% were undecided. The balance of positive and negative attitudes stands at 56.2 percentage points, compared to 64.4 percentage points in March 2026 and 58.7 percentage points in August 2025.
Regarding Moldova, 55.4% of respondents have a positive attitude, 35.6% are neutral, and 7.2% have a negative attitude. The balance stands at 48.2 percentage points, which is lower than the 54.7 percentage points recorded in March but higher than the 46.6 percentage points recorded in August of last year.
Regarding Romania, 45.2% of respondents expressed a positive attitude, 42.3% were neutral, and 9.8% were negative. The balance fell to 35.4 percentage points from 41.7 percentage points in March. In Bulgaria, positive assessments accounted for 42.7%, neutral ones for 47.6%, and negative ones for 7.4%, with the balance standing at 35.3 percentage points, compared to 51.5 percentage points in March.
Unlike most countries in the group, attitudes toward Slovakia showed a noticeable improvement. It is viewed positively by 40.7% of respondents, negatively by 12.1%, and neutrally by 44.4%. The balance rose to 28.6 percentage points from 16.1 percentage points in March 2026 and just 1.6 percentage points in August 2025.
The sharpest negative trend was recorded regarding Poland. 34.6% of Ukrainians view it positively, 37% negatively, and 25.4% neutrally. As a result, the net balance stands at minus 2.4 percentage points, whereas in March 2026 it was plus 41.7 percentage points, and in August 2025—plus 44 percentage points. The deterioration in attitudes toward Poland was one of the most notable shifts in the third wave of the survey.
Hungary remains in the negative zone: 22.9% of respondents expressed a positive attitude, 35.6% a negative one, and 37.4% a neutral one. At the same time, its balance improved to minus 12.7 percentage points compared to minus 33.6 percentage points in March and minus 39.7 percentage points in August 2025.
Maksym Urakin, founder of the Experts Club Information and Analytical Center, deputy director of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency, and candidate of economic sciences, emphasized that public perception of countries must be analyzed in parallel with Ukraine’s actual economic ties.
“That is why it is very important for us to analyze our main partners. The first recommendation is to regularly showcase concrete projects, specific actions, and the presence here of foundations, embassies, teams, and diplomats in the humanitarian sphere and in science. We also need to use our sociological data to draw conclusions and strengthen our relations, particularly trade relations,” Urakin noted.
Oleksandr Pozniy, director of the research firm Active Group, highlighted the practical significance of the study’s findings for economic and diplomatic policy.
“We should focus on developing more than just general awareness. First and foremost, business associations, the Ministry of Economy, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs need to work to develop bilateral relations and improve the balance of trade. We must expand cooperation with countries where we can achieve a positive trade balance,” Pozniy noted.
The survey was conducted in August 2026 using self-administered online questionnaires in the SunFlowerSociology panel among 800 Ukrainian citizens aged 18 and older. According to the organizers, the sample is representative by age, gender, and region, with a maximum theoretical margin of error of 3.5%. This is the third wave of the study, following surveys conducted in August 2025 and March 2026.
ACTIVE GROUP, BULGARIA, Central Europe, CZECH REPUBLIC, EASTERN EUROPE, EXPERTS CLUB, HUNGARY, MOLDOVA, POLAND, Pozniy, ROMANIA, SLOVAKIA, SOCIOLOGY, UKRAINE, URAKIN
According to Experts Club, Ukrainians’ attitudes toward the United Kingdom, the Scandinavian countries, and the Baltic states remain predominantly positive: in August 2026, the share of positive assessments for the countries included in the study ranged from 66.9% to 72.6%. At the same time, the balance between positive and negative attitudes toward all countries in this group has declined slightly compared to the previous survey wave in March 2026. This is evidenced by the results of a study conducted by Active Group and the Experts Club Information and Analytical Center, reports the Experts Club Information and Analytical Center.
The United Kingdom received the highest share of positive assessments in the group—72.6%. 18.6% of respondents had a neutral attitude toward it, 7% had a negative attitude, and another 1.8% were undecided. The balance of positive and negative assessments stands at 65.6 percentage points, compared to 68.8 percentage points in March 2026 and 70.3 percentage points in August 2025.
Seventy-two percent of Ukrainians view Norway positively, while only 2.7% view it negatively, resulting in a balance of 69.3 percentage points. In March, this balance stood at 70.8 percentage points, and in August of last year, at 76.4 percentage points. Sweden has 71.4% positive and only 0.8% negative assessments—its balance stands at 70.6 percentage points and is the highest among the countries presented on the slide. Overall, the study records approximately 67–73% positive ratings for the countries of Northwestern Europe and the Baltic states.
71.2% of respondents view Finland positively, 25.4% neutrally, and 2% negatively. The balance stands at 69.2 percentage points, down from 75.1 percentage points in March. Lithuania is viewed positively by 69.9% of respondents and negatively by 3.9%; the balance fell from 71.8 percentage points in March to 66 percentage points in August.
A positive attitude toward Latvia was expressed by 68.3% of respondents, a neutral one by 26.6%, and a negative one by 3.9%. Its balance stands at 64.4 percentage points, compared to 69 percentage points in March. For Denmark, the corresponding figures are 66.9% positive, 28.8% neutral, and 1.8% negative assessments, with a balance of 65.1 percentage points, compared to 68.7 percentage points in the previous survey wave.
Maksym Urakin, founder of the Experts Club Information and Analytical Center, deputy director of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency, and candidate of economic sciences, emphasized the importance of constant communication between foreign partners and Ukrainian society.
“The first recommendation is to regularly showcase concrete achievements and concrete actions. Second, be open to questions and inquiries from the media and the public,” Urakin noted. According to him, the results of sociological surveys can be used to strengthen bilateral relations, particularly trade relations.
Alexander Pozniy, director of the research company Active Group, also drew attention to the need to combine public perceptions of countries with the development of practical economic cooperation.
“We should do more than just raise general awareness. We need to expand cooperation with countries where we can maintain a positive balance,” Pozniy noted. He also emphasized the role of business associations and government agencies in developing bilateral economic ties.
Overall, the results show that Northern and Northwestern Europe, along with the Baltic states, continue to enjoy a high level of positive perception among Ukrainians. At the same time, the decline in the balance compared to March 2026 indicates that even regarding countries with traditionally high ratings, public opinion is not static. In the overall ranking, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Lithuania, and the United Kingdom were among the top ten countries with the highest net sentiment.
The survey was conducted in August 2026 using self-administered online questionnaires via the SunFlowerSociology panel. It included 800 Ukrainian citizens aged 18 and older. The sample is representative by age, gender, and region; the stated maximum theoretical margin of error is ±3.5 percentage points. This is the third wave of the study, following surveys conducted in August 2025 and March 2026.
ACTIVE GROUP, DENMARK, EXPERTS CLUB, FINLAND, LATVIA, LITHUANIA, NORWAY, SOCIOLOGY, SWEDEN, UKRAINE, UNITED KINGDOM
