U.S. tends to put pressure on Russia - poll
MOSCOW. Oct 17 (Interfax) - The attitude of Russians to the United States is worsening, Levada Center told Interfax in commenting on a September poll held in 130 towns and cities in 45 regions.
The number of Russians who like the United States has dropped from 67% to 46% since fall 2011, while the number of negative answers has grown from 27% to 38% over the same period, the sociologists said.
The attitude to the European Union has changed too: 63% of the respondents like the EU and 18% do not. The correlation was 67% to 18% the year before.
Some 43% of the respondents said the U.S. played a negative role in the modern world, while 10% called the role positive and 47% were hesitant. Sixty-seven percent agreed with the opinion that the United States "was hypocritically trying to force other countries to obey international law while it did not always do that itself." Only 14% said the United States "was setting a good example and always obeyed the law."
The majority of the respondents (68%) said that the United States tended to put pressure on Russia rather than treat Russia with respect (17%).
Meanwhile, the number of Russians favorably inclined toward Ukraine and Belarus has been growing. Seventy-four percent like Ukraine (69% the year ago) and 80% like Belarus (75%).
Sixty percent said that Russia and Ukraine "should be independent but friendly countries, with open borders and without visas or customs." A fifth suggested visas and customs, and 14% called for a single state of Russia and Ukraine.
The number of Russians who have negative feelings for Georgia has grown from 43% in November 2011 to 46% now, Levada Center said. The number of positive responses has also grown, from 39% to 44%, mostly due to the reduced number of uncertain respondents (a dip from 17% to 13%).
