Some 69% of Ukrainians trust President Volodymyr Zelensky, according to a poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology published on March 27.
The results counter claims by tech billionaire Elon Musk, a close ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, who wrote on X on March 6 that Zelensky would "lose by a landslide" if Ukraine held an election.
The survey found that only 28% of respondents do not trust Zelensky, resulting in a trust-distrust balance of +41%. Conducted from March 12 to 22, the poll interviewed 1,326 adults in government-controlled territories.
The poll indicates that trust in Zelensky remains relatively stable, with no significant change from a previous survey conducted from Feb. 14 to March 4.
A prior poll published on March 7 showed that Zelensky's approval rating had risen to 68% following his tense Feb. 28 meeting with Trump at the White House, which ended in a public dispute over security guarantees and the cancellation of a minerals agreement.
Trump has also labeled Zelensky a "dictator without elections," blaming him for prolonging the war. However, Ukraine's constitution prohibits elections under martial law, which has been in effect since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.
Legal experts say Zelensky's term extension is permitted under Ukrainian law.
A February survey before the clash with Trump put Zelensky's trust level at 57%, with a trust-distrust balance of +20%.
Chris York
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