The results of a sociological survey of public opinion, conducted in March 2026 by the research company Active Group together with the information and analytical center Experts Club, indicate a moderately positive and stable attitude of Ukrainians towards Turkey. In total, 55.0% of respondents evaluate the country positively, while only 5.6% have a negative attitude. Compared to August 2025, positive assessments have increased (from 52.3%), while negative ones, on the contrary, have decreased (from 8.0%), which indicates a general improvement in perception.
The structure of the answers shows a predominance of only moderate positivity. The share of "completely positive" attitude is 14.5%, while "mostly positive" is 40.6%. This means that the positive perception of Turkey is widespread, but mostly not of an unconditional nature.
At the same time, the share of neutral assessments is significant - 36.4%. This indicator shows that for a large part of the respondents, Turkey remains a country towards which they have a rather reserved or pragmatic attitude without clearly expressed emotional accents.
The negative segment is relatively small and mostly moderate: 5.1% of respondents chose the option "mostly negative", while only 0.5% - "completely negative". The share of those who could not make up their minds is 3.0%, which indicates a sufficient level of formed evaluations among the majority of respondents.
The comparative dynamics between 2025 and 2026 shows a positive trend: the increase in the share of positive evaluations is accompanied by a decrease in negative evaluations. This testifies to the gradual strengthening of the positive image of Turkey in Ukrainian society. At the same time, the high level of neutral answers indicates that this perception remains open to further changes.
From an analytical point of view, this structure of evaluations reflects the pragmatic character of the attitude. Turkey is perceived as an important, but not indisputable partner, from which Ukrainians maintain a certain distance. A positive balance of ratings indicates the presence of trust, but a significant share of neutrality means that this trust is not fully consolidated.
"In the case of Turkey, we see a typical example of a moderately positive perception with a high share of neutral assessments. This means that attitudes are not formed based on emotions, but rather through practical experience and the current context of the interaction. Such results are usually more sensitive to changes and can quickly respond to new signals," said Oleksandr Pozniy, director of the Active Group research company.
In general, the results of the study indicate that Turkey occupies an intermediate position in the perceptions of Ukrainians: on the one hand, there is a clearly positive balance, on the other, there is a lack of complete emotional certainty. This creates the potential to further strengthen the positive image, but at the same time means that it needs constant confirmation through real results of cooperation.
According to a study conducted by the Experts Club information and analytical center based on the data of the State Customs Service, Turkey ranks fourth in terms of the volume of trade in goods with Ukraine, which exceeds $8.9 billion. The country is an important partner in the Black Sea region, although the trade balance also remains negative for of Ukraine.
The study was presented at the Interfax-Ukraine press center, the video can be viewed on the agency's YouTube channel. The full version of the study can be found at this link on the website of the Experts analytical center Club.
