Russian views on USA improve as Trump returns to power
Russians are starting to view the USA more favorably, according to the latest survey. Experts believe one reason for this shift is the change of leadership across the ocean.
What do you need to know?
- Change of power in the USA: Donald Trump's return to the U.S. presidency and discussions about ending the war in Ukraine have improved relations between Russians and Americans.
- Increase in positive opinions: Approximately 30% of Russians currently express a positive view of the USA, marking a rise of 14 percentage points compared to September 2024.
- Decrease in negative opinions: The proportion of Russians who view the USA negatively has decreased from 72% to 51%.
More Russians are now favorably disposed toward the United States. "Around 30% of Russians now view the United States favorably, nearly double the share from before U.S. President Donald Trump took office," reports the Moscow Times. This data comes from a survey conducted by the Levada Center, an independent Russian public opinion research organization.
What influenced the change in Russians' opinions?
According to experts, and perhaps unsurprisingly, the leadership change in the USA is a significant factor. When Donald Trump resumed the presidency, the relationship between Moscow and Washington shifted, impacting public sentiment and initiating talks about ending the war in Ukraine, improving relations between Russians and Americans.
The change is significant, as the percentage of Russians with a positive attitude towards the USA has almost doubled since September 2024.
It should be noted that 20% of surveyed Russians still find it difficult to define their attitude towards Americans. Nonetheless, 51% continue to speak negatively about the USA.
The survey, conducted from February 20 to 26, involved 1,615 participants from across Russia. The Levada Center, which conducted the survey, was labeled a "foreign agent" by the Russian Ministry of Justice in 2016.
