Return of an Old Foe?

In the wake of Russian President Vladimir Putin announcing that Crimea had joined the Russian Federation, Gallup carried out a survey on Americans’ perceptions of Russia as Friend or Foe. A record 68 percent viewed Russia as unfriendly or an enemy.

Back in 2006, just 20 percent of Americans held the same view. That positive perception began to erode when the Winter Olympics in Sochi brought attention to Russia’s anti-gay policies while the country’s actions in the Crimea have brought about a further deterioration