The new study, performed by one of the country’s largest research centres, Levada, suggests that 33% of Russians, which is 10% more than last year, want closer cooperation with the alliance.

 

“NATO is seen as one of the main adversaries of Russia as it is a military block and it is expanding. And better relation with NATO is about feeling more secure,” Levada center sociologist Dmitry Volkov told RT.

 

Other sociologists say this is due to the fact that Russia’s relations with NATO have already significantly improved compared to the situation a year or two ago.

 

Following the conflict in South Ossetia in August 2008, formal talks between Russia and NATO were suspended, which was immediately reflected in the public opinion polls with just 23% of Russians supporting the alliance.

 

However, in recent years, Russia and NATO cooperated significantly more in such areas as fighting world terrorism, tackling the issue of drug trafficking, and even performing military training together.

 

The figure, nevertheless, is still far from the 2003 peak when 48% of Russian supported NATO.

 

“I believe that NATO made a big mistake in supporting Saakashvili in the South Ossetian conflict, revealing its instincts from the Cold War era,” Russian envoy to NATO Dmitry Rogozhin told RT. “And NATO’s image has paid a big price in terms of Russian public opinion. The public’s attitude to NATO has dropped to zero level. Nonetheless, Russians are a wise and responsible people. Russia has suffered many conflicts in its history, so they approach such situations pragmatically.”

 

The approval ratings for the EU and WTO among Russians are slightly better, amounting to 40% and 49%.

 

The trend might have been triggered by the recent visa-free regime discussions at Rostov-on-Don last month.

 

Still, the results are less optimistic than it sounds as the figures actually did not improve since last year. On the contrary, there has been a dramatic shift in public opinion – once certain that joining the EU would bring Russia benefits and now seriously doubting it – given the economic crisis in Greece and the entire Euro zone.

Russia Today