Russians have ‘Given Up’ on Trump, VTsIOM Survey Finds

 Paul Goble

            Staunton, February 11 – After three years of hoping and expecting for positive things from Donald Trump, Russians have “given up” on him, concluding that he is not willing, able or perhaps even inclined to seek improved relations with Moscow, according to the latest VTsIOM poll (wciom.ru/index.php?id=236&uid=10155).

            The Russian polling agency which has close ties with the Kremlin reported these findings under the headline “Russians have given up on Trump.”  Thirty-seven percent of Russians now say that Trump has been responsible for a deterioration in relations with Moscow, while 33 percent say he has avoided conflicts but not sought a rapprochement as they had hoped.

            Russians between the ages of 25 and 44 are the most negative about Trump’s approach to Russia. But what is perhaps surprising given earlier hopes and expectations is that only eight percent of all Russians say they believe that the current US president is seeking to improve ties between the US and Russia.

            Asked by the sociologists about their feelings toward Trump, 43 percent of Russians said they were indifferent to him, 25 percent said they didn’t trust him,12 percent said they were hostile toward him, 12 percent said they were skeptical about him, and ten percent said they were disappointed.