Alexander Topchy22:30, 13.03.23

In contrast to the negative view of Russia, Americans are generally positive about Ukraine.

The already negative opinion of Americans about Russia has intensified over the past year. The number of US residents who have a positive attitude towards the Russian Federation has fallen from 15% a year ago to the current 9%.

This is stated in the results of the latest sociological study published by Gallup . The current value for Russia is the lowest for all the time of such studies since 1989.

A 2023 Gallup poll found that 90% of Americans had a negative view of Russia, including 59% “very negative”. Last year, 42% had a very unfavorable attitude towards Russia, and in 2021 – 36%. Until 2020, no more than 32% had an extremely negative attitude towards Russia.

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Experts note that Americans’ opinion of Russia has not always been negative. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, as the Cold War drew to a close, most in the United States viewed the Soviet Union and later Russia positively, amid increased cooperation between the powers. Booms and busts followed, but the ratio has mostly remained positive above 50% by 2012.

Americans’ positive rating of Russia fell to 24% in 2015 after the annexation of Crimea and to 15% last year, when Russia was just preparing for a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Attitude towards Ukraine in the USA

In contrast to their negative view of Russia, Americans are generally positive about Ukraine. 68% of US residents have a positive view of Ukraine, up 6 percentage points from a year ago and 11 points higher than in 2020. 

The previous maximum positive attitude was 67%, it was recorded in 2005 shortly after the victory of the Orange Revolution.

Over time, Americans have become more aware of Ukraine, and the percentage of those with no opinion has dropped from 15% in 2005 to 2% today.

Currently, 23% of Americans have a “very positive” opinion of Ukraine, more than double what it was last year (9%).

As UNIAN reported earlier, according to a poll by the independent Levada Center, negative assessments of the United States, the European Union and Ukraine prevail among citizens of the Russian Federation. Only China, India and Turkey are positively assessed by Russians.

As evidenced by the results of the Morning Consult global monitoring survey, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has damaged Moscow’s global reputation , and most countries maintain a more positive attitude towards Ukraine. Sympathy for Russia tends to be higher in countries of the “global south” such as Brazil and Mexico than in large European countries, the US and Japan. Mexico was the only country in the sample that has a net positive rating for Russia.

(C)UNIAN 2023