Macron, Merz and Erdoğan are foreign leaders viewed most favorably by Ukrainians - poll
French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan are the foreign leaders viewed most favorably by Ukrainians, according to a new survey by Rating Group.
Macron received the highest favorable rating at 79%, followed by Merz at 64% and Erdoğan at 61%.
At the other end of the ranking, Russian leader Vladimir Putin was viewed negatively by 97% of respondents and Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko by 90%. US President Donald Trump received a negative rating from 77% of Ukrainians surveyed, while 16% viewed him positively.
The poll also showed a sharp difference in Ukrainians’ perceptions of Poland’s current and former presidents. In February 2025, then-President Andrzej Duda was viewed positively by 72% of respondents. His successor, Karol Nawrocki, now has a 20% favorable rating, while 62% view him negatively.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk fares considerably better, with 45% of respondents viewing him positively and about a third negatively.
Attitudes toward Hungary’s leadership have also shifted. Prime Minister Péter Magyar is viewed positively by 33% of respondents and negatively by 34%. His predecessor Viktor Orbán had a 74% negative rating.
Rating Group surveyed 2,000 adults across Ukraine from Aug. 4 to 9 using computer-assisted telephone interviews. The sample excluded Russian-occupied territories and areas without Ukrainian mobile service.
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