Ukrainians Hold Germany, France, and Britain in High Esteem, While China and Hungary Receive Poor Ratings – Study

A new study conducted jointly by the information and analytical center Experts Club and the Active Group has yielded intriguing results regarding the perception of various countries among Ukrainians. It turns out that Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and Lithuania evoke the greatest sympathy among the population of Ukraine. In contrast, China and Hungary received much lower evaluations, despite their significant roles in Ukraine's foreign trade.

At a press conference held at the Interfax-Ukraine agency, the founder of Experts Club, Maksym Urakin, emphasized that the modern international economy is not limited to mere external trade figures. It also encompasses reputation, trust, political closeness, humanitarian presence, and a sense of partnership at the societal level. 'This logic should guide the assessment of both Ukraine's trade relations and the work of foreign embassies in the Ukrainian information and social space,' he noted.

Urakin also provided statistical data regarding Ukraine's foreign trade for the year 2025. According to him, the total trade turnover of Ukraine exceeded $125 billion, with approximately $85 billion attributed to imports and about $40 billion to exports. The negative trade balance for goods stood at around $44.5 billion. These figures indicate that despite the ongoing war, the Ukrainian economy remains open, but they also highlight its significant dependence on external supplies.

China remains Ukraine's largest trading partner; however, this relationship is associated with the most significant trade imbalance. The total trade turnover with China amounts to about $20 billion, of which $19 billion is imports, while Ukrainian exports to China are only around $1.8 billion. 'Essentially, almost 39-40% of the entire annual trade balance deficit of Ukraine is tied to China. This is a classic example of asymmetrical trade: Ukraine sells resources and buys high-value-added goods,' Urakin emphasized.

Ukraine's interaction with Poland is somewhat different. Poland remains a key neighbor and an important political ally, as well as the largest market for Ukrainian exports. The total trade volume with Poland exceeds $13 billion, but the balance for Ukraine remains negative, nearly minus $3 billion. Conference participants noted that Poland is not only a sales market but also an important logistics hub that ensures economic connectivity between Ukrainian producers and the European Union market.

A similar situation is observed in trade with Germany, Turkey, and the United States. According to data presented during the press conference, trade turnover with Germany is about $9 billion, with Turkey nearly $9 billion, and with the United States around $6 billion. In all three cases, Ukraine has a negative balance. Urakin stressed the importance of the American direction, as the U.S. is not only a trading partner but also a crucial security, financial, technological, and political ally for Ukraine.

On the other hand, the most beneficial countries for Ukraine in terms of positive trade balance include Egypt, Moldova, the Netherlands, Spain, Lebanon, Algeria, Iraq, Libya, Kazakhstan, and the United Arab Emirates. 'Ukraine achieves the best results in places where its positions in the agricultural sector are strong and where the Ukrainian export offer is clear to the respective market. Future improvements in the trade balance lie in transitioning to higher value-added products in those markets where Ukraine already has a presence and proves to be a stable partner,' Urakin stated.

The sociological part of the study showed that Ukrainians have the most positive attitudes towards Germany – 77.4%, Lithuania – 75%, France – 74%, the United Kingdom – 74%, Sweden – 72.5%, Japan – 71.8%, Italy – 70%, and the Czech Republic – 67%. Ratings for Spain, Greece, Bulgaria, Poland, and Turkey also remain high. A positive attitude towards Poland was expressed by 56% of respondents, while negative evaluations stood at 14.7%. Regarding Turkey, 55% of respondents held a positive view, while 5.6% viewed it negatively.

However, the situation with China looks quite different: only 23% of respondents expressed a positive attitude towards this country, while 42% held a negative view. Ukrainians are even more critical of Hungary: only 18.6% of respondents expressed a positive attitude, while negative evaluations reached 52%. Concerning the United States, 44.1% of respondents viewed it positively, while 24.7% had a negative view.

The director of Active Group, Oleksandr Pozniy, emphasized that this study is the second in a series, allowing for the tracking of public evaluations over time. He noted that it concerns not only the emotional perception of other states but also a factor increasingly linked to foreign economic relations, security, and the image of partner countries in Ukrainian society.

'The ratings of certain countries have somewhat deteriorated compared to the previous study. In the case of the United States, this may have been influenced by changes in American policy following the arrival of a new president and the corresponding information backdrop,' Pozniy remarked.

Conference participants also noted instances where a country's economic importance does not align with its emotional perception in Ukraine. For example, Pozniy cited China, which, despite its negative perception, remains Ukraine's largest trading partner. Similarly, Iraq has a positive trade balance for Ukraine, but the attitude towards it remains cautious or negative.

Doctor of Sociology, head of the Kyiv branch of the Sociological Association of Ukraine, Olha Bezrukova, emphasized that public opinion during wartime is particularly sensitive to external factors, so such measurements should be viewed in a specific temporal context. 'Attitudes towards a country should be seen as attitudes towards the country as a whole, formed based on Ukrainians' perceptions of that country as a strategic partner in achieving peace in Ukraine. The second component is the attitude towards its representatives and citizens, which is based on various factors,' she concluded.