Ukrainians Ready to Entrust Vatican with Mediator Role in Talks with Russia – Poll

More than half of Ukrainian citizens believe that Pope Leo XIV could play a key role in peace negotiations with Russia. These are the results of a nationwide survey conducted by the SOCIS research center in early June 2025, according to Ukrainska Pravda.

According to the poll, 54% of respondents said they trust the Pontiff as a potential mediator in future dialogue between Kyiv and Moscow. Furthermore, 71% supported the idea of holding the next round of negotiations on neutral ground in the Vatican. Only 12.2% were opposed, and 16.7% were undecided.

A total of 11.1% of Ukrainians expressed full trust in Pope Leo XIV, while another 42.9% said they rather trust than distrust him. Meanwhile, 14% admitted they are more inclined not to trust the Pope, and 8.5% said they do not trust him at all. Over 23% did not provide an answer.

The poll was conducted from June 6 to 11 among adult residents of Ukraine (excluding non-government-controlled territories). The method used was face-to-face interviews, and the sample included 2,000 respondents.

It is also worth noting that more than half of Ukrainians do not support interference in the internal affairs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. This is according to another SOCIS survey conducted in June 2025.