In March, there was a sharp deterioration in attitudes towards Western countries. An increase in negative assessments of the US and the EU has been recorded. The attitude towards Ukraine has hardly changed in March. Attitudes towards China have significantly improved.

Against the background of the international conflict, the attitude towards the United States has deteriorated sharply. The mood returned to the level of May 2015, when relations between the countries were also tense. The share of positive ratings is now 17% of respondents, negative — 72%. At the same time, in February about a third (31%) Russians treated the United States “well”, and 55% — “badly”.

Attitude to the US

Younger generations have the best attitude towards the US: 26% of respondents aged 18-24 and 25% aged 25-39. The following age groups are the worst: 15% of respondents aged 40-54 are positive, 74% are negative; 9% of respondents 55 years and older are positive, 82% are negative.

The attitude towards the European Union continues to deteriorate: if in February 37% of respondents treated the EU “well”, 48% “badly”, then in March positive ratings decreased by almost half (to 21%), negative ones increased to 67% (the level of January 2015).

Attitude to the EU

The age distribution repeats the nature of the attitude towards the United States. Young people aged 18-24 have the best attitude towards the European Union (35%), the worst – respondents 55 years and older (11% positive, 78% negative).

10% of respondents treat NATO “well”, 78% – “badly”. There were no changes compared to March 2018.

About a fifth of respondents aged 18-24 and 25-39 have a “good” attitude towards NATO. Less than 10% of older respondents have assessments: 9% in the 40-54 year group, 2% in the 55 years and older group.

The attitude towards Ukraine has been deteriorating over the past months, and in March this negative trend continued. Today, 30% of respondents treat Ukraine “well”, 57% “badly”.

Attitude to Ukraine

In relation to Ukraine, there is no serious difference in age groups. The largest share (35%) of those who “feel good” about Ukraine is concentrated among respondents aged 18-24, the smallest (27%) – among respondents 55 years and older.

The attitude of Russians towards Belarus traditionally remains mostly positive: 87% are good, only 6% are bad.

The highest level of positive assessments of Belarus is in the group of 55 years and older: 93% of them treat this country “well”. The lowest level (82%) is among respondents aged 25-39.

The positive attitude towards China has reached a historic high: 83% have a positive attitude towards this country, only 8% have a negative attitude. There are no significant differences in age groups in relation to the PRC.

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