Russians and Americans on the

Iran Nuclear Program and

Perceptions of Russia, the U.S.,
and China
-A WorldPublicOpinion.org/
Levada Center Poll-
May 31, 2006

Program on International
Policy Attitudes (PIPA)
A joint program of the Center on Policy
Attitudes and the Center for International Levada Center
and Security Studies at the University of
Maryland
 Parallel Surveys of Russians and
Russian Poll
Americans

Conducted by the Levada Center April 14-24

National probability sample of 1,000 respondents
interviewed face-to-face

American Poll
Conducted April 18-24 for WorldPublicOpinion.org
by Knowledge Networks
An online survey of 1,023 respondents drawn
from Knowledge Networks probability-based
sample
Should the UN Discourage Countries
from Acquiring Nuclear Weapons?
As a general rule, do you think the United Nations
should or should not actively work to discourage
countries from acquiring nuclear weapons?

Should

American 87%
s
Russian 79
s
%
Should not

Am. 8%

Rus. 10%
WPO/KN/Levada Center 5/
 Is Iran Trying to Develop Nuclear
Weapons?
Do you think Iran is or is not trying to develop
nuclear weapons?

Is trying to develop nuclear weapons

American 84%
s
Russian 68
s %
Is not trying to develop nuclear weapons

Am. 9%

Rus. 12%
WPO/KN/Levada Center 5/
Concern About Iran’s Potential Efforts
to Develop Nuclear Weapons
If Iran were to develop nuclear weapons, how much
would that concern you?

Very much/somewhat
America 64 21 85
ns %
Russians 29 3 63
4 %
Not at all/a little
America 4 8 12%
ns
Russians 13 18 31%
WPO/KN/Levada Center 5/
 How Should the US Respond if Iran
Continues to Produce Nuclear Fuel?
If Iran continues to produce nuclear fuel that could
be developed for use in nuclear weapons, do you
think that the US should:
Bomb Iran’s nuclear facilities
America 24
ns
%
Ru 7%

Pursue a diplomatic approach

American 70
s %
Russian 79%
s
WPO/KN/Levada Center
How Should the UN Security Council
Respond if Iran Continues to Produce
Nuclear Fuel?
If Iran continues to produce nuclear fuel that could
be developed for use in nuclear weapons, do you
think the UN Security Council should:
Vote to impose economic sanctions against Iran if
it persists
American 68
s
%
Russian 26
s
%
Continue diplomatic negotiations with Iran

America 23
ns %
Russian 62%
s WPO/KN/Levada Center
Putin’s Efforts to Negotiate a Nuclear
Deal with Iran
As you may know, Russia’s President Putin has been
trying to negotiate a deal whereby Russia would
provide fuel for Iran’s nuclear energy program if Iran
would agree not to produce nuclear fuel that could
be developed for use in nuclear weapons. Do you
approve or disapprove of Russia trying to negotiate
this deal?
Approve
Americans 44
Russians %46
Disapprove %
Americans 49%
Russians 30%
WPO/KN/Levada Center 5/
 Russians on US Foreign Policy
Is the US having a mainly positive or mainly negative
influence on the world?

Positive 25
Negative % 61
% effect of US
Over the last few years, do you think the
foreign policy on Russia and its interests has been
Positive 22
Negative % 56
Please tell me your opinion of…how %
America uses
military power and the threat of force
Fav. 13
%
Unfavorab 74
le WPO/KN/Levada Center 5/
 Russians on US Economy and
Government
Please tell me your opinion of America’s…

Economic system

Favorable 73
%
Unfav.13
%
System of government

Favorable 54%

Unfavorable 27%

WPO/KN/Levada Center 5/
 Russians on Chinese Foreign Policy
Is China having a mainly positive or mainly negative
influence in the world?
Positive 57
Negative 20 %
% do you think the effect of
Over the last few years,
Chinese foreign policy on Russia and its interests has
been
Positive 42
Negative 23 %
%
Please tell me your opinion of…how China uses military
power and the threat of force
Favorable 46
Unfavorab 19 %
WPO/KN/Levada Center 5/
 Russians on Chinese Economy and
Government
Please tell me your opinion of China’s…

Economic system

Favorable 67
%
Unfav12
%
System of government

Favorable 56%

Unfav 14%

WPO/KN/Levada Center 5/
 Russians on Russia - Internationally
Please tell me if you think Russia is having a mainly
positive or mainly negative influence in the world.

Positive 80%

N 6%

Please tell me your opinion of…How Russia uses military

power and the threat of force

Favorab 65%
le
Unfav. 17%
WPO/KN/Levada Center 5/
 Russians on Russia - Domestically

Please tell me your opinion of…Russia’s system of

government
Favorable 47%

Unfavorab 43%
le

Please tell me your opinion of…Russia’s economic system

Favorab 31%
le
Unfavorab 60%
le
WPO/KN/Levada Center 5/
 Americans on Russian Foreign Policy
Is Russia having a mainly positive or mainly negative
influence on the world?
Positive 40
Negative % 53
% the effect of
Over the last few years, do you think
Russian foreign policy on the US and its interests has
beenPositive 51
Negative 38 %
Please tell me your opinion%of…how Russia uses military
power and the threat of force
Fav. 24
Unfavorab % 68
le %
WPO/KN/Levada Center 5/
 Americans on Russian Economy and
Government
Please tell me your opinion of Russia’s…

Economic system

Favorable21
%
Unfavorable 72
%
System of government

Favorable 26%

Unfavorable 68%

WPO/KN/Levada Center 5/
 Americans on Chinese Foreign Policy
Is China having a mainly positive or mainly negative
influence in the world?
Positive 44
Negative %49
Over the last few years, do you %
think the effect of
Chinese foreign policy on the US and its interests has
beenPositive 36
Negative % 54
%China uses military
Please tell me your opinion of…how
power and the threat of force
Favorable19
Unfavorab% 75
le %
WPO/KN/Levada Center 5/
 Americans on Chinese Economy and
Government
Please tell me your opinion of China’s…

Economic system

Favorable 37
%
Unfavorable 56
%
System of government

F 14%
av.
Unfavorable 80%

WPO/KN/Levada Center 5/
 Americans on the US - Internationally
Please tell me if you think the United States is having a
mainly positive or mainly negative influence in the world.

Positive 64%

Negative 32%

Please tell me your opinion of…How America uses military

power and the threat of force

Favorab 54%
le
Unfavorab 42%
le WPO/KN/Levada Center 5/
 Americans on the US - Domestically

Please tell me your opinion of…America’s system of

government
Favorable 83%

Unfav. 14%

Please tell me your opinion of…America’s economic

system
Favorab 75%
le
Unfav. 21%
WPO/KN/Levada Center 5/
 Russians on World Leaders
Please tell me your opinion
of… US President George W. Bush

Favorable 25
Unfavorab % 59
le %
Russian President Vladimir
Putin
Favorable 85
Un. 9% %

Chinese President Hu
Jintao
Favorable 42
Un. 8% % WPO/KN/Levada Center
 Americans on World Leaders
Please tell me your opinion
of… US President George W. Bush
Favorable 45
Unfavorab % 51
le %
Russian President Vladimir
Putin
Favorable 36
Unfavorab % 55
le
%
Chinese President Hu
Jintao
Favorable 27
Unfavorab % 63
le WPO/KN/Levada Center
 Ratings of Democracy
How democratic do you think each of the following
governments is, on a scale of 0 to 10, with 0
meaning that it is not at all democratic and 10
meaning that it is completely democratic?
United States
American 7
s
Russian 6 .40
s
Russia .66
American 3
s
Russian .69 4
s
China .56
America 2.16
ns
Russian 4
s .29 WPO/KN/Levada Center
Ratings of Democratic Change: Russia
Over the last few years, do you think Russia has
become:
More democratic and responsive to its
people
American 33
s
Russian %36
s
%
Less democratic and responsive to its
people
American 24
s
Russian %
24
s
Stayed %
about the
same
America 36%
ns
Russian 27
s
%
WPO/KN/Levada Center
Ratings of Democratic Change: China
Over the last few years, do you think China has
become:
More democratic and responsive to its
people
American 24
s
Russian % 35
s
%responsive to its
Less democratic and
people
America 18
ns
Rus. 10 %
Stayed%about the
same
America 49%
ns
Russian 18
s
%
WPO/KN/Levada Center
Ratings of Democratic Change: the US
Over the last few years, do you think the United
States has become:

More democratic and responsive to its

people
America 18
ns
Russian % 26
s
% responsive to its
Less democratic and
people
American 43
s
Russian 23 %
s
Stayed %
about the
same
American 33%
s
Russian 31
s
% WPO/KN/Levada Center
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