MOSCOW, July 3, 2009. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data describing what Russians think about the United States of America and how they assess Russian-American relations.

Are Russia-U.S. relations warming up again? Whereas in September 2008 most of respondents estimated U.S.-Russia relations as strained (37%), currently Russians report “normal and quiet” (37%), same as July 2003 (47%) and June 2008 (41%). Five percent think that Russia and the U.S. have friendly relations, 9% - good-neighborly (in September 2008 – 2% for each). The share of respondents who assess U.S.-Russia relations as being cool and strained is 26% and 13% respectively. And finally, the share of those who mention hostility has decreased from 11% to 2% compared with autumn 2008.

Those who call relations normal are residents of the Far East of Russia (41%), LDPR electorate (41%) and those with secondary level of education (40%). Those who call relation cool are basically residents of the Central and North-Western Federal Districts (29% and 30% respectively), supporters of such parties as “Yabloko”, “Pravoe Delo” and “Patriots of Russia” (48%), as well as Russians with higher education diplomas (31%). The residents of the Urals (29%), LDPR and “United Russia” parties’ supporters (17% and 16% respectively) and Russians with low level of education (20%) are mostly those who are confident of friendly and good-neighborly relations between Russia and the U.S. The opposite opinion is held by residents of the Central and Volga Districts (17% and 18% respectively) and CPRF supporters (20%) who call Russia-U.S. relations hostile and strained.

The attitude of Russians to the USA has significantly warmed since new president took office in America. Currently the attitudes of Russians to America have returned to the figures of July 2003 – June 2008: at present the relative majority of Russians perceive America positively (46%, in July 2003 – June 2008 – 48-49%). The highest rating was fixed in November 1991 when 83% of Russians approved the U.S. Let us remember that in September 2008, 65% of Russians had negative assessments (65%), and only 22% were positive about America. For the time being every third Russian shares this position (33%). Those who have positive attitudes are mainly residents of the Urals (53%), “United Russia” party supporters (51%) and 18-24-year-old respondents (51%). Those with negative attitudes are mostly Southerners (42%) and communists` electorate (47%).

Russians felt more difficulties assessing the most acute problems in Russia-U.S. relations (63%). Russians place problems dealing with missile defense systems and nuclear weapons (8%) on top; the second position is held by struggle for world domination and economic issues (6% for each) followed by U.S. military bases location (4%), U.S. interference in post-soviet space relations and NATO`s enlargement to the East (3% for each), Georgian-Ossetian conflict, situation in the Middle East, America’s failure to comply with agreements, differences in political views (2% for each), struggle for mineral resources, recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Russia’s dependence on Dollar (1% for each); other 1% are confident that there are no any problems in Russian-American relations.

Half of Russians is difficult to name priorities in the relationship between Russia and America (52%). Most popular answers were fighting international terrorism and world crisis (10% for each). Eight percent think that Russia in cooperation with the U.S. can fight for world peace. Other priorities were as follows: elimination of nuclear weapons and establishment of friendly relations between nations (5% for each), economic cooperation (4%), nanotechnologies and space exploration and military cooperation (3% for each), health care system cooperation, combating drug trafficking and drug abuse, culture cooperation (2% for each), saving nature, solving global issues and issues regarding the situation in Asia and Middle East (1% for each). Two percent of Russians think that there is no any need in cooperation between Russia and the United States.

The initiative Russian opinion polls were conducted in June 27-28, 2009. 1600 respondents were interviewed at 140 sampling points in 42 regions of Russia.The margin of error does not exceed 3.4%.

Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or www.wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!