MOSCOW, March 12. /TASS/. Russians have grown more positive toward the United States, but they continue to view the European Union as an "opponent," according to a study that the ROMIR research holding company submitted to the TASS Analysis Center.

According to the data, the number of respondents viewing the US as an "opponent" has nearly halved, dropping from 65% in 2023 to 35% in 2025. At the same time, the share of those who now see the United States as an "important partner" has risen from 10% to 25%. Meanwhile, the proportion viewing Washington as a "rival" has seen a less significant shift, standing at 20% in 2023 and 25% in 2025.

"Public opinion is never static; it responds not just to events, but also to expectations. Framing international relations in terms of 'opponent,' 'partner,' or 'rival' reflects how people make sense of the global landscape. What we are seeing is a picture of growing complexity; rather than unequivocal judgments, a more nuanced perception is taking shape," Andrey Milekhin, founder of the ROMIR Institute of Man and a Doctor of Sociological Sciences, said commenting on the study's results.

In his view, these shifts in perception signal the public's adaptation to the changing geopolitical environment. If the environment remains unchanged, so does the perception.

Russian attitudes toward the EU illustrate this point. Half of respondents viewed it as an "opponent" in both 2023 and 2025, while the share naming it an "important partner" held steady at 10%. Those seeing the EU as a "rival" shifted only marginally, from 23% in 2023 to 20% in 2025. The proportion of Russians inclined to view the US and the EU as "allies" has also remained virtually unchanged, holding at 2% for three years.

The study was conducted in late 2025 and does not reflect subsequent international events that could influence public sentiment in Russia. It was based on online and in-person interviews with 1,000 Russian adults, drawn from a sample representative of the country's demographic structure.