Survey: Russians now see Germany, not US, as most hostile country
Germany is now considered the most hostile country towards Russia, a survey conducted by the independent Moscow-based polling institute Levada showed.
The survey found that 55% of respondents named Germany as the most unfriendly state - a 40 percentage point increase since May 2020.
In contrast, the United States, which held the top position for two decades, was named by only 40% of respondents, compared to 76% last year. This shift is attributed to the revival of Russian-American relations under US President Donald Trump, the institute said.
Germany, however, has faced increasing criticism from the Russian leadership, particularly due to its arms deliveries to Ukraine, which has been under attack by Russia. The tone has notably hardened since Chancellor Friedrich Merz took office last month.
The United Kingdom ranked second among countries perceived as hostile to Russia, with 49% of respondents, followed by Ukraine at 43%.
Best Friends: Belarus and China
The representative survey also asked Russians to name the five countries they associate as having the closest and friendliest relations with Russia.
Belarus topped the list with 80% of respondents, followed by China with two-thirds. Kazakhstan ranked third with 36%, followed by India with 32% and North Korea at 30%.
The results reflect the Kremlin's official policy of dividing the world into friendly and unfriendly states since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Germany, which was long one of the main buyers of Russian gas in the European Union, has faced criticism in Moscow for its military support for Ukraine.
The representative survey was conducted between May 22 and May 28, with 1,613 people aged 18 and older participating, Levada said.
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