Zaluzhnyi, Fedorov, and Budanov lead Ukraine’s trust ranking as Zelenskyy places fourth – KIIS
Three of Ukraine's most recognizable wartime figures now command the strongest public confidence, a late-July sociological study found, even as the president's standing lags noticeably behind.
According to a nationwide survey conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) between July 16 and 31, Ukrainians have the highest trust in Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the ambassador to the United Kingdom and former commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces. Sixty-six percent of respondents expressed complete trust in him, compared to 24% who did not trust him—yielding a net balance of +42%.
Close behind Zaluzhnyi is Mykhailo Fedorov, the former defense minister and current head of the Executive Office. He received 63% trust and 16% distrust, resulting in a strong +46% net balance. Kyrylo Budanov, head of the President's Office and former chief of Ukraine's Defence Intelligence, came in third with 61% trust and 22% distrust, for a +39% net balance.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ranks fourth, with 56% trust and 38% distrust, for a +18% net balance. At the bottom of the list is former President Petro Poroshenko, who garnered 20% trust and 76% distrust, for a -56% net balance. The survey also noted a rise in confidence in Fedorov compared to a previous May 2026 telephone survey—the only significant shift according to sociologists.
When broken down further, roughly half of those who express trust in the top figures choose the softer "rather" option instead of the stronger "completely" trust, a distinction that carries political weight. Zelenskyy's supporters mostly hope to see him continue as president after the war, while those who "rather" trust him often prefer a different candidate.
Written by urgent.news from Euromaidan Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
