34th Anniversary of Independence: How Do Citizens See Ukraine?

22.08.2025

Special survey for the Independence Day 2025

* The report is available for download via the form below

*The survey report is available for download via the form below.

Every year, on the eve of Independence Day, Gradus Research conducts a survey to understand how Ukrainian society is changing, how citizens perceive life in the country, and how they envision the future. In 2025, the tradition continues: the results demonstrate a complex yet resilient picture of national transformation during wartime.

Life in Ukraine: challenging but active

Descriptions of life in today’s society remain ambivalent: most respondents characterize it as dangerous and unstable, but at the same time, active and progressive. This combination of conflicting traits indicates that while war makes life difficult, it does not erase the sense of development and forward movement.

Comparisons with previous periods show the depth of transformation: in 1996, Ukrainians much more often described life as unstable, soulless, and bleak. In pre-war January 2022, society assessed it in more pessimistic terms. Today, despite heightened feelings of danger, respondents are more likely than in previous decades to ascribe progressiveness to modern life. This suggests that even in wartime, Ukrainians tend to perceive themselves as a society capable of developing and shaping the future.

What unites and divides Ukrainians?

The strongest unifying factors remain a common enemy, a sense of belonging to the Ukrainian nation, and a shared vision for the country’s future. At the same time, in 2025, the main dividing factors again include differing political views, evaluations of government decisions, and social status.

34th Anniversary of Independence: How Do Citizens See Ukraine?

Ukrainians’ attitude toward joining the EU and NATO: steadily positive

In 2025, support for European and Euro-Atlantic integration remains high. The majority of citizens express a positive attitude toward both Ukraine’s accession to the EU and NATO.

Compared to pre-war 2021, when support for integration was less unanimous, these indicators rose sharply after the start of the full-scale invasion and have since remained consistently strong. This clearly reflects Ukrainians’ awareness of the importance of international alliances for the country’s security and future development.

Everyday use of Ukrainian language continues to grow

Over the past three years, there has been a notable shift in language practices. In April 2022, just over half of respondents reported speaking Ukrainian in everyday life, but by August 2025 this share had grown to 68%.

This trend reflects profound changes in society: Ukrainian is increasingly becoming the everyday norm. The shift to Ukrainian in daily life is not only a linguistic but also a value-based choice, underscoring national unity during wartime.

Faith in a better future persists

In 2025, nearly two-thirds of respondents believe in the possibility of a better life, with this figure holding steady at pre-war levels.

“Despite all the losses and challenges, Ukrainians remain cautious optimists about the country’s future. The most accurate indicator of this is the fact that most citizens envision their children’s future in Ukraine. The courage and resilience that society recognizes in itself are exactly the traits that enable perseverance and continued rebuilding,” — comments Evgeniya Blyznyuk, sociologist, CEO & founder of Gradus Research.

The survey report is available for download via the form below.

The survey was conducted by Gradus Research using self-administered questionnaires in the Gradus mobile application. The sample represents the structure of the urban population (cities with more than 50,000 residents) aged 18–60 by gender, age, settlement size, and region, excluding temporarily occupied territories and areas of active hostilities. Fieldwork periods: August 5, 2021 (sample size: 1,022 respondents); August 7–8, 2023 (sample size: 1,100 respondents); August 7–8, 2024 (sample size: 1,100 respondents); August 8–11, 2025 (sample size: 1,000 respondents).

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