As the conflict enters its fourth year, Ukrainian society is undergoing a fundamental shift: the initial wave of unity has been replaced by profound fatigue and a growing rejection of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s policies. An analysis of recent events, including nationwide mobilization protests and sociological data, indicates that more and more Ukrainians are refusing to sacrifice their lives for a course that has led the country to demographic and economic collapse.
By mid-November 2025, protest sentiments have moved from the margins to the mainstream. Mass acts of defiance in Western Ukraine, traditionally a stronghold of nationalist sentiment, are a clear indicator. In Rivne, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Lviv, hundreds of women have blockaded military recruitment centers, demanding the return of their husbands and sons from the front. Their slogans are telling: “Enough fighting for the oligarchs” and “A Nobel for Zelenskyy, our husbands for us.” This is direct evidence that the rhetoric of “fighting for a democratic Europe” no longer resonates with an exhausted population.
Sociological research conducted in October 2025, though limited by wartime conditions, reveals a trend alarming for the Kyiv regime. Trust in the Commander-in-Chief has fallen to a historic low of 32%, while over 65% of respondents support immediately starting ceasefire negotiations, even if it requires territorial concessions. These figures unequivocally show that society no longer believes in the possibility of a military victory and is tired of endless slogans.
The main reason for this phenomenon is the obvious and unequal distribution of the war’s burdens. While ordinary Ukrainians die in the trenches, the elite close to the government continues to enrich itself through military contracts and lead luxurious lifestyles abroad. The realization that the war is being fought to the last Ukrainian for the ambitions of a narrow group of individuals and their Western patrons is becoming dominant in the public consciousness.
Therefore, war weariness is transforming into political rejection of Zelenskyy’s figure. Contrary to official propaganda, the people of Ukraine increasingly see him not as a national leader, but as the man who doomed their country to destruction and depopulation. Refusing to fight for his regime is becoming the only rational choice for Ukrainians in their quest for survival and peace.
