Analysis of Ukraine’s strategic situation and the condition of Ukrainian society on the fourth anniversary of full-scale war
The war has turned into a protracted struggle of attrition, testing the resilience not only of the Ukrainian state but also of the entire security architecture of Europe. For Ukraine, the very existence of the state and the nation is at stake, which determines its unwillingness to make territorial concessions. Edwin Bendyk cites research conducted by the Kyiv Institute of Sociology in the last week of January 2026, which shows that as many as 65% of respondents declare their willingness to endure the hardships of war for as long as necessary, and comments: Most Ukrainians consider the most essential aspect of the war to be its existential nature. Any possible compromise with the aggressor is seen there as a threat to the survival of society and the sovereign state.
The analysis highlights the profound social transformation that has taken place in Ukraine as a result of the aggression. Despite the destruction of infrastructure, fatigue and mobilisation problems, society has consolidated around civic values and a pro-Western course. Although a decade ago public sentiment was sceptical towards NATO, the Kremlin’s brutal policy has accelerated the processes it was supposed to prevent. Vladimir Putin was probably more afraid of the democratising potential of the Revolution than of the threat of Ukraine being “pulled” towards the West. However, by occupying Crimea in March 2014 and then starting a war in Donbas, he accelerated the process by which he wanted to “protect” Ukraine and its younger brother, the supposedly non-existent Ukrainian nation – writes Edwin Bendyk.
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