Independence Monument in Kyiv, Photo: Ukrinform / Shutterstock Editorial / Profimedia
The majority of Ukrainians firmly oppose the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the Donetsk region (east), which is still under Kiev's control, in exchange for security guarantees from Europe and the US, according to the results of a survey published on Friday, reports Reuters, taken by Agerpres.
Ukraine – reluctant to make commitments, as they have not been honored in the past – insists on legally binding security guarantees to prevent any future Russian aggression.
Under pressure from the US to quickly accept a peace deal, Ukraine has refused to accede to Russian demands to cede without a fight the territories it still controls in the Donbas (east), a vast mineral-rich industrial area that includes the Donetsk and Lugansk regions.
Russia controls almost all of Lugansk region, but Kiev still holds about 20 percent of Donetsk region, including a number of strategically important garrison towns and defensive lines.
Pessimism about peace negotiations
According to the survey conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS), 54% of Ukrainians categorically reject the idea of withdrawing from certain parts of Donbas in exchange for security guarantees from the allies. About 39% said they would accept with reluctance.
“Furthermore, those who are willing to agree expect quite significant security guarantees. Therefore, if the level of security guarantees were lower than expected, the approval of such a proposal would be even lower,” said KIIS executive director Anton Gruşeţki.
Almost 70% of those interviewed are skeptical that the current talks will lead to lasting peace. About 57% believe that Russia will attack again in case of an armistice on the current contact line of the front and some security guarantees from the allies.
But even under the conditions of some guarantees, 40% of those surveyed believe that the US would not provide aid to Ukraine in the event of a new Russian invasion, while 30% believe that they would.
The survey was conducted between January 9-14 on a representative sample of 601 people from the territory controlled by Kyiv.
Russia maintains its maximalist demands and has made little comment on the 20-point peace framework that Ukraine and the US have been trying to finalize.
Instead, Russia has stepped up its attacks on Ukraine, significantly damaging its already-destroyed energy infrastructure and leaving millions without electricity and heating in freezing temperatures in the dead of winter.
