Listening to the daily thud of artillery hitting nearby towns, a school principal in southern Ukraine appealed to parents for donations for a new bomb shelter. A soldier and his girlfriend, despite not knowing when he might come home, decided to get engaged as they gave up hope that the war against Russia would end soon. A woman, depressed about the instability, decided to stop worrying and just imagine that peace would come next spring.
Tetyana Kuksa, a woman who works at a market in Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, expressed her feelings of helplessness and her dream for the war to stop. However, Ukrainians are increasingly pessimistic about the prospects for a quick victory. Hopefulness, which has been a driving force for Ukraine in its fight against a more powerful foe, has been dented.
Despite this, the majority of Ukrainians remain defiant, support President Volodymyr Zelensky, and trust their military. However, recent polling shows that readiness for a negotiated settlement with Russia has increased slightly, while trust in most institutions, other than the army, has declined. Trust in the government, in particular, has dropped significantly.
Ukraine’s last significant military gain was a year ago, and little land has changed hands since then, despite months of fighting and casualties. The top military commander admits that the country is in a stalemate, and a long phase of war is expected to settle in. Frustration is rising, and stress levels are increasing as Ukrainians want to move on with their lives but see no promising prospects.
Trust in President Zelensky has also declined, and anger is rising towards government corruption and Western allies who have been slow in delivering weapons. Fault lines are emerging in the country’s politics, and small protests have broken out. Thwarted expectations of military success have contributed to the trend towards pessimism.
Despite the difficult circumstances, Ukrainians are finding ways to cope. Schools are being reopened with bomb shelters, and people are adapting to the ongoing war. While the situation is dire, Ukrainians remain resilient and continue to dream of a better future.