After seven years of sanctions & tense relationship with West, 57% of Russians say they feel isolated on the world stage – survey

More than half of all Russians believe that their country is isolated internationally, a new poll has revealed, in a result which shows only a minor change in the seven years since November 2014, when it was first conducted.

The survey by the Levada Center revealed that more than half (57%) of Russians believe that their country is isolated on the world stage, with 38% disagreeing with the view. Three years ago, those numbers sat at 56% and 37%, respectively.

The Levada Center is registered by Russia’s Ministry of Justice as a foreign agent, due to its receipt of Western funding.

The results show that Russians feel slightly more isolated than in November 2014, when 47% agreed with the statement.

In the seven years since, Moscow has clashed regularly with the West over a wide range of topics, including the reabsorption of Crimea, the war in the Donbass, and Washington's allegations that it meddled in the 2016 Presidential Election. Russia has also been the target of multiple packages of sanctions, significantly affecting the country's economy.

However, despite the feeling of being alone on the world stage, 44% of respondents said that Russia should treat the West "as an ally," with just 29% saying Moscow should view it as a "rival."

The poll also revealed Russians' positive attitudes towards its neighbors China (70%) and Belarus (82%). When it comes to the US, (39%) and EU (46%), opinions are far more pessimistic.

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