Russia, North Korea viewed least favorably in US: Gallup

Russia and North Korea are viewed least favorably by Americans in a new poll.

The Gallup survey asking Americans to rate their views on 21 foreign countries found just 9 percent of respondents viewed Russia and North Korea most or very favorably.

Russia’s favorability dropped 6 percentage points in the last year as it wages a war on Ukraine, while Ukraine’s favorability climbed 6 points in the same period. Republicans rated Russia better than Democrats did in the poll, and Democrats viewed Ukraine more favorably.

Gallup noted North Korea, a source of tensions with its neighbors and the U.S., has not had more than 15 percent of respondents viewing it favorably in more than two decades. 

Iran, Afghanistan and China were grouped in the next tier of countries, with just 15 percent of Americans saying they viewed each country favorably. 

China’s favorability fell 5 points in the last year, according to the poll, which was taken Feb. 1-23 — coinciding with concerns that China may aid Russia with weapons in its war on Ukraine as well as the U.S. military’s downing of a Chinese surveillance balloon in American airspace.

At the opposite end of the list, Canada was viewed most favorably, by 88 percent of those surveyed. Great Britain followed with 86 percent of respondents viewing it favorably.

The Gallup poll, taken Feb. 1-23, surveyed 1,008 U.S. adults and had a margin of sampling error of 4 percentage points.