KIIS survey: Ukrainians prefer membership in EU to Customs Union

08.11.2016 10:34

Ukrinform

The course towards Ukraine’s joining the European Union is supported by 46% of Ukrainian citizens, while Ukraine’s joining the Customs Union with Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kirgizia and Armenia is backed only by 13%.

These are the results of a survey conducted by Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) in September 2016.

The pro-European sentiments prevail in western and central Ukraine, where the course towards Ukraine’s joining the European Union is supported by 72% of citizens living in western Ukraine and 46% citizens living in central Ukraine. Only 4% of residents in western regions and 8% in central regions support Ukraine’s joining the Customs Union.

A total of 29% of residents living in central regions choose Ukraine’s independent course without its joining the EU or the Customs Union. In eastern and southern regions, the largest number of citizens, 43% and 40% respectively, also would like to see Ukraine neutral.

In southern and eastern Ukraine, 28% and 23% of citizens respectively support the European integration, while 28% and 22% of citizens living in eastern and southern Ukraine back the pro-Russian course.