Poll: U.S. sees Russia, Vladimir Putin as foe

By JOSE DELREAL

More Americans view Russia as an enemy than as an ally, according to a recent poll that also revealed growing disdain for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Gallup poll, released Wednesday, shows that only 44 percent of Americans view Russia as a friend to the United States, compared to 50 percent who view the country as unfriendly. The favorability rating is down from 52 percent in June and marks the first time since 1999 that more Americans have viewed Russia as a foe rather than as an ally.

The poll also showed that 54 percent of those surveyed view Putin himself negatively, with only 19 percent of Americans holding a favorable opinion of the Russian President.

The Kremlin has featured prominently in American headlines in recent months, drawing much criticism earlier this summer for granting temporary asylum to National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden.
In recent weeks, Russia has emerged as a central player in the Syrian chemical weapons crisis following the Obama administration’s plan to launch a limited militarily strike against the Assad regime in Syria.
Following the administration’s decision to pursue a diplomatic negotiation brokered by Russia, many government officials have expressed their distrust in the Russian government’s intentions.
The poll of 1,010 adults was conducted Sept. 15-16 and has a margin of error of plus-or-minus 4 percentage points.