Russians’ view of the US has improved in recent years, but is still negative overall, new data shows
A new survey conducted by the Public Opinion Foundation (FOM) indicates that Russians’ opinions of the US have improved over the past decade, though negative attitudes still prevail overall.
The study polled a total of 1,500 people from across the country in early June. The results, published on Tuesday, show a marked shift in public attitudes compared to 2015.
According to the survey, 18% of respondents said they now feel positive about the US – nearly double the 10% recorded ten years ago. The share of those expressing negative views of America dropped from 38% to 31% over the same period.
The number of people who described themselves as indifferent toward the US also fell, from 46% to 40%, while 11% said they were unsure of how they felt.
Despite the changes in sentiment, expectations for the future of Russian-American relations remain mixed, the study showed. Nearly a third (31%) of respondents said they saw grounds for improvement, while 7% believed relations would worsen. Just over a third (39%) expected no change, and 23% were uncertain.
At the same time, 48% of those surveyed said they believe Moscow and Washington could eventually establish friendly relations. Respondents cited several conditions for this to happen – chiefly, an end to the Ukraine conflict, negotiations, mutual understanding, and the rebuilding of trust.
When asked about what direction Russia should take in terms of foreign policy, a majority (61%) said Moscow should aim for close and friendly ties with the US. However, nearly a third (31%) pointed out that such an alignment was impossible due to deep-rooted differences in “values and mentality.”
When respondents were asked about their perception of US President Donald Trump, 36% indicated they had a positive view of the American leader, while 26% expressed a negative opinion. At the same time, 47% thought that Trump made decisions based on emotions, while 28% said his decisions were rational.
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