PR94846

LONDON, Mar. 4, 2022 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/--

- MOST REJECT NATO MEMBERSHIP BAN AS PRICE OF ENDING THE WAR

Three quarters of Ukrainians are willing to take up arms against Russian troops

and only just over one in ten would leave the country if they could, according

to a survey conducted in the country for Lord Ashcroft Polls. However, two

thirds say that Ukrainians and ethnic Russians have more that unites than

divides them.

The poll of 1,040 Ukrainians, conducted by telephone between 1 and 3 March,

also finds big majorities against accepting a ban on NATO membership, NATO

troop reductions in countries bordering Russia, and official recognition of

Crimea as part of Russia as the price for ending the war. The findings include:

- 68% said they thought the sanctions imposed on Russia would be effective in

bringing an end to the war. However, only 23% said NATO was doing enough to

help Ukraine, while 46% said the same for the EU, 44% for the US, and 8% for

China. A majority (53%) said the UK was doing enough.

- 86% said they wanted Ukraine to join NATO, and 6 in 10 said they would feel

safer if they knew Ukraine had nuclear weapons.

- 67% said they would be willing to take up arms to fight against Russian

troops, and a further 7% said they were already doing so. Only 11% (and only 5%

of those aged 65 or over) said they would leave Ukraine tomorrow if they could

safely do so.

- Most Ukrainians (56%) said they expected the conflict to be over by the end

of March. Fewer than one in ten (9%) said they thought it would last longer

than six months.

- 69% said a ban on Ukrainian membership of NATO would be an unacceptable

condition for ending the war; 61% said NATO scaling back troops and weapons in

countries bordering Russia would be unacceptable. Even more – 78% – said

official recognition of Crimea as part of Russia would be unacceptable even if

it guaranteed an end to the war.

- 65% agreed that "despite our differences, there is more that unites ethnic

Russians living in Ukraine and Ukrainians than divides us."

- 93% said they considered Ukraine's future to be closer to Europe than to

Russia, including 78% of those of Russian ethnicity, and 84% of those in the

east of the country closest to the Russian border.

In his commentary on the poll results, Lord Ashcroft writes:

"We have all seen the extraordinary bravery and spirit with which the people of

Ukraine have responded to Putin's brutal invasion. The results of a survey

which, somewhat to my astonishment, a research firm in Kyiv was able to conduct

for Lord Ashcroft Polls in the past few days only add to my admiration. If you

think an opinion survey is a rather trivial distraction given the magnitude of

events that are unfolding, let me say that our partners in Kyiv were pleased to

have the chance to show the world something of what Ukrainians are thinking and

feeling as they defend their country."

The full poll results are available at: http://lordashcroftpolls.com.

LORD ASHCROFT KCMG PC is an international businessman, philanthropist, author

and pollster. He is a former treasurer and deputy chairman of the UK

Conservative Party, and honorary chairman and a former treasurer of the

International Democratic Union. Lord Ashcroft has been polling since 2005, both

in the UK and internationally, winning a reputation for objective and impartial

research and analysis.

http://lordashcroftpolls.com

http://lordashcroft.com

Twitter/Facebook: @LordAshcroft

Source:  Lord Ashcroft Polls