Since Ukraine’s 2014 Revolution of Dignity, NDI has conducted semiannual public opinion polling in Ukraine. These polls have provided a treasure trove of data related to Ukrainians’ perceptions of democratic change. To mark the second anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, NDI has compiled a retrospective analysis of how views changed over the past eight years. The numbers paint a picture of a united Ukraine that is more determined than ever to fight for a democratic society and reject the authoritarian, backward-looking vision of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.

The share of Ukrainians that want Ukraine to be a fully functioning democracy has steadily risen across the country to about 93%. Not only has support for alliance with the West in the form of EU or NATO membership shot up from 40-50% to over 90%, but the increase is greatest in Ukraine’s more ethnically Russian and Russian-speaking regions. In addition, support for tolerance and gender equity, the values which Putin most often demonizes, has skyrocketed. The percentage of Ukrainains who believe that  men and women should be equally involved in political life has risen from 38 to 65% between 2015 and 2023. Further, 72% say LGBTQ+individuals should have the same rights as others, up from 29% in 2019. While the topic of Russia’s influence was once polarizing, sentiment is now consistent across Ukraine, 92% say Russia’s influence on Ukraine is negative, up from 68% in 2016, across the country.