Chancellor Merz more popular in Ukraine than in Germany

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz enjoys significantly higher approval ratings in Ukraine than at home, with 64% of Ukrainians viewing him favourably in a poll conducted by the Rating Group.

In polls conducted in Germany, by contrast, Merz's approval rating has in some cases fallen below 20%.

The Rating Group, a leading Ukrainian pollster, asked Ukrainians about their views on leading international politicians. French President Emmanuel Macron achieved the highest approval at 79%.

Russian President Vladimir Putin fared worst, with more than 97% of respondents viewing him unfavourably. In February 2022, Putin ordered the full-scale invasion of neighbouring Ukraine, launching a war that continues to this day.

Support for the Chancellor rises alongside German aid

The regularly conducted survey shows that Ukrainians' attitudes towards German chancellors have steadily improved.

In the previous survey in February 2025, then-chancellor Olaf Scholz achieved a 57% approval rating, shortly before his defeat at the German elections.

Approval was at its lowest in April 2022, shortly after the start of the war, when Berlin had made only relatively modest commitments on arms deliveries and financial assistance. Germany has since become Ukraine's largest single supporter.

According to the report, 2,000 participants were interviewed by telephone between August 4 and 9 as part of the representative survey.

Only Ukrainians aged 18 and over in government-controlled parts of the country with a functioning mobile network were included.