More Americans have a positive view of Russia than they did a year ago, according to a survey of attitudes in NATO and toward Moscow, the alliance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The Pew Research Center survey found that the percentage of Americans with a “favorable” view of Russia was 11% in 2024, an increase of four percentage points from 7% last year. The vote of 3,600 U. S. adults held from Jan. 5 to May 5, 21 and had a margin of error of 2. 1 percent.
In 2020, two years before Russian President Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, 15% of Americans had a favorable view of Russia, according to Pew. Newsweek has reached out to the Ukrainian and Russian foreign ministries for comment.
More than 44,000 people in 36 countries were also surveyed in the run-up to the NATO summit in Washington, D. C. , marking the alliance’s 75th anniversary, and aid to Ukraine that opposes Russian aggression will be at the most sensible point on the agenda. .
In other NATO countries, thirteen percent of Canadians have a favorable view of Russia, up 1 percent from 2023. In France, the same attitude increased from 3% to 17%, while in Germany, those with positive opinions. Sentiments toward Russia rose 1 percent through 2023. Russia rose from 5 percent to 15 percent. In the United Kingdom, thirteen percent of respondents have a favorable opinion of Russia, up four percent from last year.
However, the vote shows that, globally, the outlook on Russia and Putin remains largely negative. In the survey conducted in three dozen countries, 65% of respondents have an unfavorable opinion of Russia, while 73% do not trust the Russian leader “to do the right thing in global affairs. “
In a communication shared with Newsweek, Pew said it had also found that the prospects for Russia and Putin “have improved since our last investigation there. “For example, Argentines have become 11 percent more favorable to Russia and nine percent more confident. . in Putin. “
Pew added that in Europe, those who have a favorable view of a right-wing populist party see Russia and Putin more sharply than those who have an unfavorable view of those parties.
The effects of his research give insight into how Ukraine is suffering from tensions among its Western allies and how efforts to isolate Putin are failing.
Overall, an average of 46% of respondents said they did not accept Zelensky doing the right thing during the war, compared to 40% who said the opposite.
Pew said in its report that support for Zelensky has declined particularly in 11 countries over the past year, with the biggest drop in neighboring Poland, where support has fallen 22 percentage points, from 70 percent to 48 percent.
More modest declines were also seen in Australia, France, Germany, the Netherlands, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden and the United States.
Correction 7/24/03, 11:15 a. m. ET: This article was updated to correct the date the survey was conducted.
Brendan Cole is a senior reporter for Newsweek in London, UK. It focuses on Russia and Ukraine, specifically on the war unleashed through Moscow. It also covers other areas of geopolitics, adding China.
Brendan joined Newsweek in 2018 from the International Business Times and, in addition to English, studies Russian and French.
You can contact Brendan by emailing b. cole@newsweek. com or by following him on his X @brendanmarkcole account.
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