Number of Ukrainians aspiring to EU reduced by 6%: poll

The Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation (DIF) in cooperation with the Razumkov Centre Sociological Service NGO has conducted a survey in Ukraine. The survey revealed that as compared to December 2014, by 6% less people support the idea of Ukraine joining the European Union.

In particular, according to the survey results,  in response to the question: “Accession to which union is prior for Ukraine?” 51.2% of the polled named the EU versus 57% in December 2014.  The number of the respondents who consider Ukraine’s accession to the Customs Union with Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan as a priority has increased by 1.5% from 16% in December 2014 to 17.5% in July 2015.

At the same time, the officer in charge of the survey Iryna Bekeshkina recalls that in 2010, most of the citizens of Ukraine came out for accession to the Customs Union (49% versus 38% supporters of the idea to join the EU).

The survey was conducted in the period from July 22 to July 27 2015.  A total of 2011 people were polled in all the regions of Ukraine, except Crimea and the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics that are not under control of Kiev.