Corruption and EU Reluctance Top Obstacles to Ukraine's EU Membership: Poll

A survey conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KMIS) in September 2026 shed light on Ukrainian public perceptions of the country's path to European Union membership. The results highlight a split between self-criticism and skepticism about EU intentions.

Internal Barriers

The largest group of respondents — 32% — identified corruption within the central government as the primary obstacle to Ukraine's EU accession. This reflects widely shared concern that without meaningful anti-corruption reforms in the executive and judiciary, Ukraine's candidacy will continue to face delays and conditional requirements from Brussels.

EU's Role

The second-largest group — 29% — pointed to EU reluctance or unwillingness to expand its membership as a barrier, suggesting that a significant portion of Ukrainian society believes the challenges are not entirely domestic. Concerns about EU political will, enlargement fatigue, and procedural hurdles all feature in this perspective.

The poll results arrive as Ukraine continues its formal accession negotiations, with progress tied directly to anti-corruption benchmarks set by the EU. Civil society groups and EU partners have pushed for continued judicial and prosecutorial reform.