Russia’s Best Friends and Worst Enemies

Sanctions have helped the citizens of Russia to better understand who is a friend to our country and who is an enemy. Now they answer our sociologists’ questions definitively. Our fellow countrymen consider, as always, China to be Russia’s best friend, followed up by Belarus and Kazakhstan. Germany is now looked upon as one of Russia’s worst enemies, having surpassed even the traditionally unsavory British. The U.S. and Ukraine took first place on the list of worst enemies.

Experts from the Russian Public Opinion Research Center, or WCIOM, have ascertained that the citizens of Russia continue to believe that China is their best friend in the global arena.* Since 2008, the amount of Russians sympathetic to China has more than doubled, from 23 percent to 51 percent. Coming in second among the governments that our survey participants considered friendliest to Russia, is Belarus, which made up 32 percent of responses. Closing the circle of Russia’s top three best friends is Kazakhstan, who was favored by every fifth person — 20 percent.

The position of Belarus and Kazakhstan has also gotten significantly better in Russian public opinion. In 2008, only 14 percent and 8 percent, respectively, of our citizens considered them friends.

Russians sympathize with other BRICS members, as well. India is considered a friend to Russia by 9 percent of those polled, and 4 percent chose Brazil. On that same line is Cuba, also 4 percent, returning to the list of Russian favorites. Another Latin American country, Argentina, received 3 percent.

The biggest loss of face in the eyes of Russian citizens goes to Germany. In 2008, it was perceived as one of Russia’s most important partners with a 17 percent popularity rating. Now, however, only 2 percent side with our biggest trading partner.

Berlin now shares a row with Armenia and the rest of the post-Soviet republics, as well as Korea and Mongolia. France is also in the company of downgraded countries — from 6 percent to 1 percent. Overall, ratings of the countries of the European Union have dropped from 4 percent to 1 percent. Of course, the U.S., which had a 9 percent support rating in 2008, now is at less than 1 percent.

The U.S. takes first place for worst enemies on the list of countries that are the most hostile to Russia, according to its citizens. In 2008, one-fourth of the country felt antipathy toward America — now it is nearly one-third. Second place among global Russophobes, in Russian public opinion, is Ukraine, who was unloved by 21 percent of the population in 2008 and is now disliked by 32 percent of Russians.

Logically, Georgia shared first place with the U.S. among disfavored countries in 2008. Now, they are considered neutral. Six years ago, 25 percent of respondents considered the southern country an enemy, but now only 1 percent report those feelings. The improvement is noticeable for Baltic countries, as well. In 2008, 6 percent of those surveyed responded negatively; now only 1 percent feel that way.

Germany, and the whole EU for that matter, are on the list of Russia’s worst enemies. In 2008, only 1 percent of Russians considered this to be true, but now it is up to every 10th person. The United Kingdom and Poland close out the top five worst governments — 9 percent and 6 percent, respectively — according to Russians. Our fellow citizens feel equal animosity toward Canada and France, who are favored by just 3 percent.

The overall relationship of Russians toward foreign governments has become more directed and polarized. In 2008, 45 percent had a hard time naming “friends” and “enemies”; today just 22 percent couldn’t name a friendly country, and just 15 percent couldn’t name an “enemy.”

The general director of WCIOM, Valery Fedorov, is sure that Germany is simply paying for the political mistakes of Angela Merkel. “The U.S. has always been an opponent. But here, Germany is paying for the position that she has taken. Instead of being an honest broker and a mediator, she went over to the opposition against Russia. If the excellent image that Germany has had through the years isn’t completely ruined, it is significantly tarnished,” the Russian sociologist said, unmasking the mistakes of the Western European power.

According to Federov, this regime of sanctions has facilitated the delineation of Russia’s relationship to other countries of the world. “Sanctions have hardened the opinions of Russians. That, however, is only one detail of the overall picture. The conflict itself is much messier than it was in 2008. Then, the war was only five days long, but it’s already been many months this time.” However, it may change if there is a radical turnaround. “The question isn’t about time, but about major events. In 1999, we didn’t love America much because it bombed Yugoslavia. In 2001, though, when terrorists blew up the Twin Towers, we were sympathetic and our relationship became exceedingly better.”

“All of that is connected exclusively to propaganda. What people see is what they start to believe,” argues Chairman of the National Strategy Council Valery Homyakov. “If we look at the positive and the negative stories, we primarily see America, Ukraine and Germany being negatively spun, but we hear positive things about China, of course. China, Belarus and Kazakhstan are shown in a good light. This social survey is a complete reflection of the propaganda that is poured into people’s heads. Since propaganda has become more ubiquitous, harsher and more misguided, public opinion has also become more directed and polarized.”

*Translator’s note: According to their website, WCIOM is “the oldest and leading marketing and opinion research center in the post-Soviet space.”