An interview with the Director of the Institute of Sociology of the NAS of Ukraine, Yevhen Golovakha, on the platform “Korotko pro”

The online platform “Korotko pro” has published an interview with the Director of the Institute of Sociology of the NAS of Ukraine, Doctor of Philosophical Sciences, Professor, Corresponding Member of the NAS of Ukraine Yevhen Golovakha.

The journalist Valeriia Chepurko opened the conversation by observing that Ukrainians widely feel we are now at a crossroads. Is that so?

Yevhen Golovakha, as a sociologist and a psychologist, briefly analysed the moods of Ukrainians from the shock euphoria of 2022 to the present emotional burden resulting from years of stress and great losses, which is natural when a war has been going on for close to four years. But he stressed that he does not agree that total dejection and pessimism prevail among us: “Sociological research shows that the overwhelming majority of our citizens believe in Ukraine's future, but whereas in 2022, amid the shock euphoria, three quarters of people believed we would win as a result of the counter-offensive, now the overwhelming majority are counting on negotiations.”

On the painful subject of the loss of territory, the professor recalled the 1938 agreement known as the Munich betrayal, which led to the occupation of Czechoslovakia and to the Second World War, and stressed: “If Ukrainians want to preserve the country and the nation, we must endure and fight. The only alternative is a ‘Little Russian district'.”

In today's difficult conditions, he stressed, our salvation depends on what we decide for ourselves — whether to continue resisting or to capitulate: “But capitulation means the disappearance of Ukraine not only from the world map but as a nation for centuries. Either we shall not exist, or we shall be a nation with a great pile of problems to solve. Right now it would be realistic simply to stop at the line of fire. But a great deal is needed for that. Not only the enemy's agreement, but a worthy example — representatives of the elite strata of the population should be the first to defend the country. A transparent law on mobilisation must be adopted; justice must finally be established, so that it does not turn out that one part of the population lives off the sacrifice of another.”

The sociologist noted that there is a great deal of research data confirming the strengthening of Ukrainians' patriotism and identity: “But if the country ends up under occupation, these data will be worth nothing. If they install some notional Medvedchuk or Yanukovych, or anyone at all, the most active, creative and strong personalities will either leave the country or perish here in camps. And the others… The others will have to live; they have children. They will adapt to the new conditions, as Ukrainians have had to adapt many times in their history. During the war we have become more conscious, more united, more courageous, but all this will remain with us only if we do not capitulate.”

On the subject of assistance from Western partners, the professor noted that Europe will stand with Ukraine, because this is also the security of the whole continent, whereas there is as yet no settled hope in the United States under Trump's presidency — although the 2026 elections may change the situation in the US Senate and strengthen the mood in favour of helping Ukraine and resisting Russian aggression.

The journalist observed that we are now very dependent on our partners and asked what exactly we would be celebrating on Independence Day.

To this the scholar replied: “We should celebrate the reality that we have become one of the central subjects of world history. For Ukraine used to be entirely without agency. Agency is the ability to realise one's own ideas and vision on the international stage and to be an equal partner for the progressive world community. The fact that we are considered a heroic nation which has been resisting an enormous horde for three and a half years — that is agency. We are recognised, we are supported, our opinion is listened to. Research, including that of our Institute, shows that we have lost the features of ambivalence — the double consciousness in which we lived in two worlds at once. We have become a normal country with a clear identity, a pro-Western orientation and an understanding of our belonging to a nation the world respects. That is our independence.”

This interview with the head of Ukraine's academic sociology on the eve of Independence Day helps the Ukrainian public to understand the present situation more clearly and to form a realistic position on the current course of events.

The full material: https://kp.ua/ua/life/a716308-sociolog-yevgen-golovaha-pro-emocijnij-tyagar-perspektivi-vtrati-teritorij-ta-privid-dlya-svyatkuvannya-dnya-nezalezhnosti