A majority of Ukrainians would strongly oppose withdrawing troops from the part of the eastern Donetsk region still controlled by Kyiv in exchange for European and US security guarantees, a poll released yesterday indicated.
Ukraine, wary of unmet commitments in the past, is pushing for legally binding security guarantees to prevent any future Russian aggression.
Ukraine is under US pressure to agree quickly to a peace deal, but has refused to accept Russian demands that it cede land it still controls in eastern Donbas, a large mineral-rich industrial area comprising the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
Russia controls almost all of Luhansk, but Kyiv still holds about 20 per cent of Donetsk, including a string of strategically vital garrison towns and defensive lines.
According to the poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS), 54pc of Ukrainians categorically reject the idea of withdrawing from parts of Donbas in return for security reassurances from allies.
Some 39pc said they would reluctantly accept.
“Moreover, those who are ready to agree expect quite significant security guarantees. Therefore, if the level of security guarantees is lower than expected, approval of such a proposal will be even lower,” said KIIS executive director Anton Hrushetskyi.
The survey was conducted in early January among 601 respondents on Ukrainian-controlled territory.
Almost 70pc did not believe current negotiations would lead to a lasting peace.
Some 57pc believed Russia would attack again in the event of a ceasefire at the current frontlines and security guarantees from allies.
However, even if security guarantees were given, 40pc believed the US would not provide support in the event of renewed Russian invasion, while 39pc thought it would.
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