You're reading: Poll: Most Russians still see U.S. as unfriendly toward their country

Moscow - The United States is associated in the minds of a significant number of Russians with an aggressive foreign policy rather than democracy, and more than half of Russians believe the U.S. is pursuing a policy unfriendly to Russia, the Public Opinion Foundation found based on a public opinion poll it conducted on Feb. 9-10. 

Asked what comes to their minds instantly when the U.S. is mentioned, 10% of those polled said wars and interference in the affairs of other countries, 9% said this is only a country on a political map to them, 8% perceive the U.S. as a rich and well-to-do country, 5% said this is Russia’s enemy, 3% called the U.S. a great power and a progressive country each, and 1% mentioned the rule of law. Nearly a quarter of those polled – 24% – were undecided.

The number of those whose attitude toward the U.S. is negative has declined to 18% from 29% since 2003, while the number of those treating this country indifferently has grown by 15% to 56% from 41% in 2003, the Public Opinion Foundation said. The number of people having positive feelings about the U.S. has remained virtually the same (23% now and 24% in 2003).

At the same time, over half of those polled – 54% – still see the U.S. as a country having unfriendly attitudes toward Russia, while 27% have an opposite view.

As many as 33% of those polled believe most Americans are basically indifferent toward Russia, 13% think their attitudes towards Russians are good and 25% negative. Nearly one third of those polled – 30% – were undecided.

Talking about relations between Russia and the U.S., 24% believe they have worsened in the past year, 46% see no changes, and 13% see some improvement.

The number of Russians saying that American society is organized better than Russian has declined to 30% now from 48% in 2001, and the number of those believing that relations between people are better in America than in Russia has dropped to 17% now from 31% in 2001.

Asked how they see the U.S.’ role in the world, 53% of Russians said it is more negative than positive, while 19% hold the opposite view.