A recent survey by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) has found a shift in American attitudes towards Russia following the election of Donald Trump as US President in 2024. The study, conducted between November and December 2024, surveyed 24 countries and found that in the US, 11% of respondents viewed Russia as an “ally” and a further 20% as a “useful partner”. In contrast, 17% saw Russia as a “rival” and 38% as an “adversary”.
This shift is notable, as a similar survey conducted between December 2022 and January 2023 found that no American respondents chose the “ally” option, while 55% viewed Russia as an “adversary”.
The US public’s perception of the EU has remained largely unchanged, but the ECFR’s survey did find a decline in the percentage of EU member states’ respondents who viewed the US as an “ally”, from 31% to 22%.
The survey also found an increasing optimism among Russians and Chinese about the prospects of their countries, with a growing number viewing themselves as “allies”.
When asked about the likelihood of Ukraine emerging victorious in the current conflict, 34% of Ukrainian respondents expressed optimism, the highest level among the surveyed countries. In contrast, only 13% of American respondents thought a Ukrainian victory was likely, with even lower levels of optimism in other regions, including 0% in Russia.
The ECFR has expressed concern over the implications of Trump’s election, stating that Europeans are “sad” and “worried” about the outcome. However, in other parts of the world, there is a sense of hope that Trump’s presidency might lead to a reduction in violence in the Middle East and Ukraine.
The think tank has warned that Europeans will face a challenge in finding internal unity and global strength to effectively counter the new administration in Washington. The ECFR’s funders include Western governments and major non-governmental organizations such as the Open Society Foundations, founded by George Soros, and the network of Pierre Omidyar.