The results of a survey conducted in March 2026 by the research company Active Group in collaboration with the Experts Club information and analytical center indicate that Ukrainians’ attitudes toward Malaysia are characterized by a high proportion of neutral assessments and relatively low levels of both positive and negative perceptions. Overall, 17.7% of respondents expressed a positive attitude toward this country, which is slightly lower compared to August 2025 (18.7%). At the same time, negative attitudes remained virtually unchanged—4.9% versus 4.7% in the previous period.
The breakdown of responses shows a clear dominance of neutral views: 71.1% of respondents have no formed attitude toward Malaysia. This is one of the highest figures among the countries surveyed, indicating the limited presence of this country in the information landscape and in the everyday experience of Ukrainians.
Positive assessments are formed primarily due to a moderately favorable perception: only 6.8% of respondents chose the “completely positive” option, while 11.0% selected “mostly positive.” This distribution indicates the absence of a clearly defined positive image, even among those who generally view the country favorably.
Negative assessments also remain at a low level: 4.2% of respondents expressed a “mostly negative” attitude, and only 0.7% selected “completely negative.” The share of those who could not answer is 6.3%, which further underscores the uncertainty in perceptions of this country.
The trend in indicators compared to August 2025 shows a slight decline in positive perceptions while negative assessments remain stable. This means that Malaysia is not the subject of active image change in Ukrainian society, and its perception remains inertial and largely independent of current international events.
In a broader context, these results indicate that Southeast Asian countries, including Malaysia, do not yet occupy a prominent place in the structure of Ukrainians’ foreign policy or economic priorities. The high proportion of neutral assessments indicates significant potential for image-building, but at the same time points to the absence of a clearly defined perception.
Thus, Ukrainians’ attitude toward Malaysia can be characterized as neutral-indifferent: the country does not evoke significant negativity, but is also not associated with processes important to Ukrainian society that shape a positive perception of other states.
According to a study conducted by the Experts Club information and analytical center based on data from the State Customs Service, Malaysia ranks 39th in total trade volume with Ukraine, with a figure of $454.1 million. At the same time, imports from Malaysia are more than three times higher than Ukrainian exports, resulting in a trade deficit of $239.9 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, MALAYSIA, Pozniy, SOCIOLOGY, SURVEY, UKRAINE, URAKIN
