In a study conducted between June 3-13, sociologists revealed that the number of Ukrainians, who want their country to join NATO, had shrunk to 40 percent from its peak of 51 percent in November 2014.
Concurrently, anti-NATO sentiment gained momentum, rising from 25 to 32 percent. Eleven percent would abstain from casting their votes at the referendum, whereas 17 percent are undecided.
At the same time, the sociological research found out that if Ukraine had to join an international economic bloc, 51 percent would vote aye for the European Union (the figure was 59 percent in September 2014), 16 percent would approve integration with the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, and 34 percent would either support another option or are undecided.
Support for joining NATO and the EU fades from the West to the East of the country, the study concluded.
In late 2014, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko denounced the country's non-aligned status and promised to conduct a referendum on joining NATO within six years.
