Moscow Jun 10 (V7N) — After dominating Russia’s list of hostile nations for over a decade, the United States has dropped to fourth place for the first time in 13 years. This shift in public perception comes amid growing optimism among Russians that diplomatic ties between Moscow and Washington might improve if Donald Trump returns to the White House.

The findings were published last Thursday (June 5) by Russia’s independent Levada Center, as reported by The Moscow Times.

According to the survey, only 40% of Russian respondents now consider the US Russia’s top enemy—down significantly from 76% in 2024. The top three perceived hostile nations are now Germany (55%), the United Kingdom (49%), and Ukraine (43%).

The decline in hostility toward the US coincides with Trump’s promises during his election campaign to bring a swift end to the war in Ukraine. In fact, Russian public opinion of the United States has been improving steadily. In March, another Levada poll found that positive views of the US had doubled.

Russian state media have played a significant role in shaping this sentiment by portraying Trump as a pragmatic leader who favors dialogue with Moscow. Historically, Russian attitudes toward the US have fluctuated in response to major geopolitical developments.

For example, after the 2008 Russo-Georgian war, US condemnation of Russia’s actions led to a sharp decline in favorable views of America, though those opinions recovered by 2011. A similar decline occurred following Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014, when Western sanctions fueled anti-American sentiment.

The recent Levada survey also sheds light on Russia’s perceived allies. Belarus (80%), China (64%), Kazakhstan (36%), India (32%), and North Korea (30%) top the list of friendly nations. Notably, mentions of North Korea as a key ally have nearly doubled over the past year, a development fueled by Russian state media reports of North Korean troops allegedly aiding Russian forces in Ukraine’s Kursk region.

Meanwhile, Iran’s popularity as an ally has declined sharply—from 22% in 2024 to 11% in this latest survey.

The Levada Center conducted the survey among 1,613 Russian adults between May 22 and May 28.

An earlier version of the report erroneously stated that the US lost its top spot for the first time in 20 years. The corrected report clarifies that it is the first time since 2012—13 years ago—that the United States has not topped Russia’s enemy list.

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