Elena Khruleva
Photo: "House of Cards". American cartoon, 1904 /warspot.ru
Many countries maintain a positive attitude towards Russia unlike Western liberal democracies, confirms the annual global poll, commissioned by the Alliance of Democracies, an NGO founded by former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen. The advocacy organization can hardly be called an independent research center.
The survey was conducted in 52 countries in Asia, North America, Latin America and Europe. The results of the study showed a great contrast in the positions of the western countries and the rest of the world. Many Asian and Latin American countries want to remain friends and trade with Moscow.
The majority of respondents from 20 countries believe that ties with Russia should not be interrupted because of the conflict in Ukraine. These included Greece, Kenya, Turkey, China, Israel, Egypt, Nigeria, Indonesia, South Africa, Vietnam, Algeria, Philippines, Hungary, Mexico, Thailand, Morocco, Malaysia, Peru, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia. The Colombians were evenly divided.
Only 36% of Indians, 14% of Indonesians, 11% of Saudis, 29% of Algerians and only 7% of Egyptians and 4% of Moroccans share a negative opinion about Russia.
It seems that world public opinion does not share the Western interpretation of the events in Ukraine and is fine about Russia. It is worth looking at the population of the states that opposed the sanctions against Russia, and it becomes clear that most of humanity does not want to isolate our country.
Russophobia is on the rise only in Europe and Anglo-Saxon countries, although there are still leaders and outsiders between them. For example, in Hungary, only 32% of respondents are negative about Russia. The strongest anti-Russian sentiments reign in Poland, where 87% of respondents expressed their gloomy outlook on our country. It is even more than in Ukraine, where 80% respondents where negative (although it is clear that the survey was most likely conducted only in Western and Central regions) and significantly more than in the UK - 65%, Germany - 62% and the USA - 62%.
What is the reason for such a strong Russophobia in Poland? Some believe that the attitude of the Poles to the present and future is shaped not by rational reasons, but by their cultural and historical code and the blaming of Russia by local media. As the Myśl Polska journalist Mateusz Piskorski has noted, “an emotionally negative attitude towards one of the neighbors is dangerous in the long run, because it allows to legitimize the crazy political decisions.”
Poland, writes Piskorski, is contrasted not only by neighboring (and we note that historically similar) Hungary, but also by the vast majority of humanity. “Asia, Africa and Latin America, including emerging economic powers, are pursuing rational policies based on economic interests. And this policy has understanding and support of the majority of societies that are resistant to manipulation and disinformation by the Western media,” concludes the Polish journalist.
What is the result? Europeans have always somewhat arrogantly, looked at themselves as the most rational and pragmatic, and therefore more successful, part of humanity. In fact, it turns out that Western public opinion is hysterical, easily controlled and prone to phobias. Isn't it the decline of Western civilization?
