U.S. Down, Germany Up: Merz’s War Stance Pushes Berlin To Top Of Russia’s ‘Enemies List’

In a dramatic shift, a new Levada Center survey reveals that Russians now view Germany—not the United States—as their most unfriendly country. For the first time in 13 years, the US has dropped in Russia’s enemy rankings, falling to fourth place. The rise in hostility toward Germany follows Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s aggressive pro-Ukraine policies, including support for long-range missile strikes inside Russian territory. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused Berlin of direct war involvement and warned it is repeating its past wartime mistakes. Meanwhile, Russia continues to rank Belarus, China, and India as its closest allies, highlighting the country’s shifting global alliances amid the ongoing Ukraine conflict.#russia #germany #unitedstates #putin #trump #ukraine