(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Russian adults deem two countries as unfriendly, according to a poll by Bashkirova & Partners. 33.3 per cent of respondents believe the United States is hostile to Russia, while 31 per cent feel the same way about Georgia.

Ukraine is next on the list of unfriendly nations with 17.9 per cent, followed by Latvia with 17.7 per cent, Estonia with 13.3 per cent, Lithuania with 10.4 per cent, Afghanistan with 6.7 per cent, Britain with 6.6 per cent, Iraq with 5.3 per cent, and Iran with 5.1 per cent.

Belarus is regarded as Russia’s friend and ally by 35.3 per cent of respondents. China is second on the list with 18 per cent, followed by Germany with 16.1 per cent, Armenia with 12.7 per cent, France with 9.4 per cent, Italy with 9.1 per cent, Ukraine with 7.4 per cent, Britain with 7.2 per cent, Japan with 5.5 per cent, and the United States with 4.4 per cent.

Vladimir Putin was elected to a second term as president in March 2004 with 71.31 per cent of all cast ballots. In April 2005, Putin ruled out seeking a new mandate, saying, "I will not change the constitution and in line with the constitution, you cannot run for president three times in a row."

Russian voters renewed the State Duma in December 2007. United Russia (YR)—whose candidate list was headed by Putin—secured 64.1 per cent of the vote and 315 of the legislature’s 450 seats. On that same month, Putin endorsed Dmitry Medvedev as a presidential candidate, and Medvedev said it would be of the "utmost importance" to have Putin as prime minister.

In March, Medvedev easily won Russia’s presidential election with 70.28 per cent of the vote. In May, Medvedev was sworn in as president. His nomination of Putin as prime minister was confirmed by the State Duma in a 392-56 vote.

Last year, Illinois senator Barack Obama—the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee in this year’s election—discussed his views on Russia, saying, "Russia is neither our enemy nor close ally right now, and we shouldn’t shy away from pushing for more democracy, transparency and accountability in that country."

In May, Arizona senator John McCain—the presumptive Republican presidential nominee in this year’s election—declared: "Russia and the United States are no longer mortal enemies. As our countries possess the overwhelming majority of the world’s nuclear weapons, we have a special responsibility to reduce their number."

Polling Data

Which of the following foreign nations do you consider unfriendly or even hostile to Russia?
("Top 10" Listed)

And which of the following foreign nations would you regard as Russia’s friends or allies?
("Top 10" Listed)

Source: Bashkirova & Partners
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,500 Russian adults, conducted from May 16 to May 22, 2008. Margin of error is 3.4 per cent.

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