"Anti-U.S. sentiment has been steadily rising in Russia over the past few years" former State Duma deputy Vladimir Ryzhkov, writes on St Petersburg Times (
http://www.sptimes.ru/index.php?action_id=2&story_id=29943 ). "A survey also found that 50.4 percent of Russians had either a “basically bad” or “very bad” attitude toward the United States, with only 1.4 percent holding a “very good” attitude and 34 percent feeling “basically good” toward Washington. What is most surprising to me is that Russians’ attitudes toward the United States have actually worsened during Obama’s first year in office." He states that "Russia’s growing isolation from the West — and the United States in particular — has exacerbated the problem". This may even be a wanted development, since only " a single Russian television channel broadcasted Obama’s speech in July, leaving most Russians completely unaware of the U.S. leader’s friendly overture to them. Apparently, the Kremlin has no intention of providing at least minimum public support for Washington’s desire to reset U.S.-Russian relations".
This overwhelmingly negative sentiment is not my impression from visits to Nortwest Russia. And don't forget that anti-US sentimens have been running high in the West, too, the last eight years, although that seems to change now. My own sentiments of Russia change (for the better) each day I spend there, meeting people.
Russophobia, on the other hand, has a long tradition and already existed many centuries before Russia became one of the major powers in Europe. A poll in 2004 showed the percentage of population with a negative perception of Russia was 62% in Finland and 57% in Norway. Andrei Tsygankov claims "russophobia's revival is indicative of the fear shared by some U.S. and European politicians that their grand plans to control the world's most precious resources and geostrategic sites may not succeed if Russia's economic and political recovery continues."
Anti-American sentiments in Russia and Russophobia in the West correspond with low numbers of people who actiually have met, or know someone from these other countries about which stereotypes are made. This observation is a strong argument for more cooperation, more exchange and contact across borders, if one wants to improve relations. If the intention is opposite, isolation and media-made stereotypes will prevail. Let's face it, in both camps there are forces who want to keep it that way. Let's hope they loose. The future will see much more of the duality "us and them".
Anti-Американские сентименты в России и Russophobia в западе соответствуют с низкими числами людей actiually встречали, или знают кто-то от этих других стран о которых стереотипии сделаны. Мои сентименты изменения России (для лучшего) каждый день, котор я провожу там, с своими людьми. Этим замечанием будет сильный аргумент для больше сотрудничества, больше обмен и контакта через граници, если одно хочет улучшить отношения. Если намерие напротив, то изоляция и средств-сделанные стереотипии превалируют. Препятствуйте нам смотреть на его, в обоих лагерях там будьте усилиями которые хотят держать его та дорога. Препятствуйте нам понадеяться они освободите. Будущее увидит очень больше из двоичности «мы и они».
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