The results of a public opinion poll conducted in March 2026 by the research firm Active Group in collaboration with the Experts Club information and analytical center indicate a noticeable deterioration in Ukrainians’ attitudes toward Israel. The share of positive assessments fell from 44.7% in August 2025 to 38.7%, while negative attitudes rose from 13.7% to 19.8%.
In the breakdown of responses, only 12.6% of respondents chose the “completely positive” option, and another 26.1% selected “mostly positive.” At the same time, 38.2% of those surveyed took a neutral stance, indicating a significant proportion of citizens who do not have a clearly formed attitude or refrain from making assessments.
The negative segment shows growth due to both moderate and sharply critical assessments. The share of “mostly negative” attitudes is 14.7%, and “completely negative” is 5.1%. This means that nearly one in five Ukrainians views Israel negatively, which is one of the highest rates among the countries surveyed. Another 3.3% of respondents were undecided.
The dynamics of change between the two waves of the survey indicate not only a decline in positive sentiment but also a shift of some respondents into the negative segment. This distinguishes the situation from other countries, where a decline in positive sentiment is often accompanied by an increase in neutrality rather than criticism.
“These results show that attitudes toward individual countries are highly sensitive to the foreign policy context and the information landscape. When society develops a contradictory or ambiguous perception of the state’s actions, this is quickly reflected in an increase in negative assessments. At the same time, a high level of neutrality means that a significant portion of Ukrainians have not yet formed a definitive position,” noted Maksym Urakin, founder of the Experts Club information and analytical center.
Thus, in the perception of Ukrainians, Israel is moving into the group of countries with a more polarized image. The combination of a high proportion of neutral responses with a rise in negative sentiment indicates the instability of public opinion, which may change under the influence of future events and information signals.
According to a study conducted by the Experts Club Information and Analytical Center based on data from the State Customs Service, Israel ranks 29th in total trade volume with Ukraine, with a figure of $714.7 million. Imports from Israel slightly exceed Ukrainian exports, resulting in a moderately negative bilateral trade balance.
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, ISRAEL, Pozniy, SOCIOLOGY, SURVEY, UKRAINE, URAKIN
