The USA, China and Russia top the list of countries that are most often perceived by other countries in the world as a threat. And which countries are seen as friends and allies? Results of a study by "Pew Research".
Against the background of changes in world politics in the last few years, the views of individual countries on who is their ally, and who is an adversary, have also changed. More and more people around the world see Russia as a threat, but in many countries the attitude towards the USA has also changed - especially since the beginning of the second term of President Donald Trump.
This is evidenced by the results of a recent study by the American research center "Pew Research". They show that China, Russia and the United States are among the top three countries that respondents around the world most often perceive as the main threat to their country. At the same time, the United States is also most often cited as an ally. Sociologists surveyed nearly 32,000 people in 25 countries, not including Russia and Ukraine.
Threat or ally - depends on the region
The perception of a country as a threat is often determined by where it is located. For example, respondents in eight out of ten European countries cited Russia as the main challenge for their countries.
Most people in Poland (81%), Sweden (77%), Germany (59%) and the Netherlands (57%) see Russia as their main adversary. In Spain, which is the only NATO country to refuse to increase its defense spending, equal shares of the population consider Russia and the United States to be threats. In Greece, only 3% of residents consider Russia to be the main adversary, while a solid majority of 74% of Greeks recognize Turkey as such.
The United States is perceived as a threat mainly by its neighbors: in Mexico, 68% of the population think so, and in Canada - 59 percent. It is interesting to note that the share of Canadians who consider the United States a threat has tripled since 2019, when the previous similar study by “Pew Research“ was conducted. Let us recall that after returning to the White House, Donald Trump offered Canadians to become the 51st American state.
China is the first threat to Americans
Americans put China in first place among the countries they consider a threat, and in second place - Russia. The breakdown by party line shows that Democrats are more afraid of Russia (39%), and Republicans - from China (58%).
China is also considered the main threat in the Asia-Pacific region: in Japan - 53%, in Australia - 52%, and in India, Indonesia and South Korea China is in second place.
The US is still the No. 1 ally
Although many participants in the survey identify the US as the main threat, in some countries the US is also considered the most important ally. In Israel, for example, 95% of respondents believe so, in South Korea - 89%, and in Japan - 78%. Even in Canada, 55% of respondents identify the US as a key partner.
None of the countries participating in the survey consider Russia to be their most important ally. In India, it comes in second place, and in Hungary, Indonesia, Turkey and South Africa - in third place. China is seen as the number one ally by Indonesians, Nigerians and South Africans.
Who do right-wing populists in Europe love?
Supporters of right-wing populist parties are less likely to see Russia as a threat. In Hungary, for example, only 11% of supporters of Orbán's Fidesz party think so, while 52% of those polled who do not support it perceive Russia as a threat. In Germany, a similar phenomenon is observed with regard to the right-wing populist Alternative for Germany, and in the Netherlands - with regard to the far-right Freedom Party.