Corruption, the Main Obstacle Perceived by Ukrainians to the Country’s Accession to the European Union

Corruption Identified as the Main Obstacle to Ukraine’s EU Accession

Corruption within the central authorities is identified by the largest share of respondents in a recent survey conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) as the main obstacle to Ukraine’s progress toward accession to the European Union. According to the results, 32% of respondents selected this option when asked what they considered to be the most important obstacle in the European integration process.

Lack of Willingness among Some EU States Ranks Second

A similar share, 29%, believe that the accession process is being hindered by the fact that the European Union or some of its member states do not want to accept Ukraine. This option ranked second among the responses provided by survey participants.

Respondents were presented with six options and could select only one answer, allowing for a direct comparison of the main obstacles perceived by the population.

War Identified by 15% of Respondents

The war and related restrictions were identified as the main obstacle by 15% of participants. Thus, the conflict remains one of the important factors perceived by the population in relation to the European integration process, although in this question it was mentioned less frequently than corruption within the central authorities and the lack of willingness among some European states to accept Ukraine.

Concerns over the Performance of the Government and Parliament

Another 10% of respondents identified the insufficient quality of the work of the Government and Parliament as the main obstacle to accession.

At the same time, 5% mentioned resistance to reforms from certain groups of influence, while 3% identified the insufficient independence of the courts and law enforcement bodies.

Perceptions of Compliance with EU Accession Obligations

The survey also included a question concerning how Ukrainian authorities are fulfilling the obligations necessary to accelerate the process of accession to the European Union.

According to the results, 50% of respondents believe that the authorities are not fulfilling their obligations, while 46% believe that they are. The difference reflects a divided public perception of the pace and effectiveness of the measures required for European integration.

How the Survey Was Conducted

The study was conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) from 12–21 September 2026 through computer-assisted telephone interviews based on a random sample of mobile phone numbers.

A total of 1,002 adult Ukrainian citizens from all regions of Ukraine under government control were interviewed. The survey did not include territories temporarily outside the control of the Ukrainian authorities, nor citizens who left Ukraine after 24 February 2022.

Corruption Remains a Major Concern among the Population

The findings regarding EU accession form part of a broader context in which corruption is one of the main concerns expressed by Ukraine’s population. In another set of questions conducted as part of the same study, 50% of respondents identified corruption in public administration among the issues that concern them the most, while 40% mentioned large-scale missile and drone attacks.

Regarding the evolution of corruption during the period of the full-scale invasion, 72% of respondents believed that the level of corruption had increased, while 6% perceived a decrease.