Against the backdrop of US-Russia negotiations, attitudes toward the United States have significantly improved in Russia.
According to a survey by the independent Russian polling organization Levada Center, for the first time, perceptions of the US and the EU have notably diverged, with the US now viewed more favorably.
JOIN US ON TELEGRAM
Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.
Positive attitudes toward the US dropped to 12% in May 2023, the lowest level recorded since Levada Center began tracking public opinion in 1997. Sentiment remained consistently low following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
However, the latest survey, conducted in late February among 1,615 respondents across 50 regions of Russia, showed that around 30% of Russians now have a favorable view of the United States – almost double the percentage recorded before US President Donald Trump took office in January.
Half of respondents (51%) view Trump positively, while 79% express a negative attitude toward former President Joe Biden.
Over the past four years, attitudes toward Trump have doubled in positivity (+26 percentage points since January 2021), whereas views on Biden have significantly worsened, with the number of people holding a negative perception of him rising by 44 percentage points.
Trump’s Efforts to Brown Nose Putin Continue
Most respondents appreciate Donald Trump for his perceived efforts to end the war in Ukraine – 29% believe he will contribute to peace between Russia and Ukraine, while 12% say he is willing to negotiate.
Another key reason for supporting Trump is his perceived intention to restore relations with Russia – 26% of respondents believe he is working to rebuild ties and foster friendly relations between the two countries.
Additionally, many respondents highlight his personal qualities: 15% describe Trump as a “man of action, a good politician, and a real leader,” while 13% call him “intelligent, pragmatic, and better than the previous president.”
Those who hold a negative view of Trump cite distrust – 15% consider him “cunning and insincere.” Another 12% believe he is “anti-Russia and has done nothing for us.”
Some respondents describe Trump as “unpredictable, erratic, a clown, and unserious” (7%). Others criticize him as a “businessman and dealmaker,” accuse him of “supporting Ukraine,” or say he *“has yet to accomplish anything” – each category making up 6% of responses.
The most favorable attitudes toward the US are found among young people under 24 (40%), those who disapprove of Vladimir Putin’s presidency (38%), and individuals who trust YouTube channels as a source of information (54%).
The most negative views of the US come from older respondents (52% among those aged 55 and older), Moscow residents (63%), supporters of the current president (52%), and those who primarily get their information from television (54%), according to the study.
Half of respondents (50%) expect that after the current war with Ukraine, relations between Russia and Western countries will gradually return to their previous state.
Meanwhile, one in three respondents (32%) believes tensions will only escalate, leading to a new phase of the “Cold War.”
You can also highlight the text and press Ctrl + Enter
