Lose the Friendly Title, US Slips While Germany Earns Hostility Crown
Russians Perceive Germany as the Most Antagonistic Nation
Nope, Donald Trump ain't the pull-all-nite party host this time around, but he's managed to refresh the dance between the USA and Russia. Results from a recent poll show a surprising shift: goodbye, USA, and hello, Germany, as Russia's least friendly nation.
According to Levada, a Moscow polling institute, 55% of Russian respondents have named Germany as their least favored country. That's a whopping 40-point increase since May 2020. On the flip side, the US has slid from the top spot, with only 40% of respondents considering it as a least-favored nation—a drastic drop from last year's 76%. This seismic shift can be pinned down to the revitalized Russian-American relationship under ol' Trump.
Now, why the cold shoulder for Germany? You betcha it's got plenty to do with those weapon deliveries to Ukraine, a country under attack by Russia. Ever since the Russian government started criticizing Deutschland for its actions, the narrative has gotten tougher than a German automobile engine. His pal, ol' Friedrich Merz, the new Chancellor, ain't helping matters. Germany now trails closely behind Russia's second-most disliked country, the UK, at 49%, and Ukraine at 43%.
Allies Near and Far
But don't count on Russia's friends just yet. A different part of the survey revealed the countries Russian folks are most tight-knit with. Surprisingly enough, neighboring Belarus took the gold medal, with a whopping 80% of votes. China backed Belarus up with two-thirds of the votes, followed by Kazakhstan (36%), India (32%), and North Korea (30%).
The poll findings seem to echo the Kremlin's official stance, which divides the world into two camps: friends and foes. Considering Germany's criticized military support for Ukraine and its role as a major importer of Russian gas in the European Union, the antsy attitudes towards Deutschland sure do make sense.
Levada conducted the survey between May 22 and 28, collecting data from 1613 individuals aged 18 and above. So, there ya have it—some unexpected twists in this global tango.
Sources:- ntv.de- chl/dpa
Enrichment Data:
- Arms Deliveries to Ukraine and NATO Involvement: Germany's military support for Ukraine, considered an attack target by Russia, significantly contributes to increased perceptions of hostility. This support is seen as a challenge to Russia's actions in the region [1][5].
- Political Developments in Germany: The shift in German leadership, particularly with new Chancellor Friedrich Merz taking office, has been associated with a harder stance towards Russia, likely influencing Russian perceptions of Germany's intentions and actions[1].
- Shift in Geopolitical Focus and Media Narrative: There has been a noticeable shift in geopolitical focus within Russia, possibly influenced by state media narratives. This shift has directed more attention towards Western European nations like Germany, the UK, and France, which are seen as more hostile due to their support for Ukraine and implementation of sanctions against Russia[3][5].
- Revival of Russian-American Relations: The slight improvement in Russian-American relations during Donald Trump's presidency may have contributed to a decrease in negative perceptions towards the United States among Russians[1][5]. However, this factor is more about a relative decrease in hostility towards the U.S. rather than a direct cause of increased hostility towards Germany.
- The community policy within Germany, including its military support for Ukraine and its role in the European Union, has been cited as a contributing factor to the increased hostility towards the country among Russians, as per the findings of the Levada poll.
- In the realm of general-news and politics, the change in government leadership in Germany, particularly the new Chancellor Friedrich Merz, has been linked to a harder stance towards Russia, potentially impacting Russian perceptions of Germany's intentions and actions.
