LONDON — Russians’ approval of China’s leadership has surged as Moscow has grown closer to Beijing since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. In 2025, 69% of Russians approve of China’s leadership, nearly double the 36% recorded in 2019. It has remained high and steady since 2023.
By contrast, 14% of Russians approve of U.S. leadership, similar to the average level seen during Donald Trump’s first term (12%) and slightly higher than the single-digit approval seen during the last three years of Joe Biden’s presidency. The current 55-percentage-point approval gap between China and the U.S. marks a shift from the power dynamics over a decade ago, when the approval gap averaged eight points between 2009 and 2013.
The surge in approval ratings of Beijing between 2022 and 2023 (20 points) was on par with the increase measured between 2013 and 2014 (17 points) following Crimea’s integration with Russia.
Increased approval of Beijing since 2022 coincides with surging bilateral trade. While trade was already growing before then, it spiked after the invasion of Ukraine and has remained elevated, with Chinese imports from and exports to Russia both surpassing $100 billion. As Western sanctions restricted Moscow’s access to international markets, China became a lifeline for sustaining Russia’s economy. Although trade volumes dipped slightly in early 2025, China remains Russia’s most important economic partner.
In addition to their heightened economic ties, Moscow has been drawing closer to Beijing in political terms. In September, President Vladimir Putin joined President Xi Jinping and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un at a major Victory Day military parade in China. Putin has referred to Xi as his “dear friend,” with the pair meeting on more than 40 occasions, and has noted that relations between the two powers “are at an unprecedented level.”
Outside of Africa, Russia Most Positive Toward China
Russia is somewhat of an outlier in China’s global soft power footprint. Of the 20 countries or territories where China was viewed most positively in 2024, Russia was one of only two outside of Africa, the other being Hong Kong, S.A.R. of China. Russians’ approval of Beijing stood at 70% in 2024, on par with 69% in 2025.
Last year, at least three in four adults in Guinea, Burkina Faso, Benin, Mali, Cote d’Ivoire and Togo expressed approval of Beijing, with Russia tying for the 10th most approving country in the world.
Russia Overtakes Iran, Pakistan in Leaning Eastward
Even though a handful of countries in Africa have higher approval of China than Russia does, no other country in the world has a more positive view of China relative to the United States.
Since 2023, the gap between approval of China and the U.S. has been larger in Russia than any other country globally. In 2025, the difference stands at 55 points, slightly down from more than 60 points in the two previous years. While global data collection is not yet completed for all countries in 2025, Russia is unlikely to lose its top spot in leaning toward Beijing over Washington.
This was not always the case. In earlier years, countries like Iran and Pakistan leaned more toward Beijing over Washington than Russia did. But Moscow has since overtaken them, reflecting the depth of its Eastward pivot in both policy and public opinion.
Majority Disapproval of the United Nations
Gallup asked a new question in 2025 about people’s approval of the United Nations. Almost three in four Russians (73%) disapprove of the job performance of the United Nations, compared with 15% who approve, on par with the proportion who approve of Washington (14%).
Russia’s relationship with the U.N. has deteriorated since the invasion of Ukraine, as the General Assembly and human rights organizations have condemned Moscow, while Russia has used its Security Council veto to block several resolutions. Much of the U.N.’s role has shifted to humanitarian efforts, including aid delivery, rights monitoring and the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
Bottom Line
Russians had been warming toward Beijing even before its invasion of Ukraine, but approval has strengthened since. Today, Russia not only gives China its highest ratings outside of Africa but also leads the world in relative alignment with Beijing over Washington. These views reflect the two countries’ deepening political and economic ties and highlight how Russian opinion has moved increasingly Eastward in a changing global order.
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For complete methodology and specific survey dates, please review Gallup's Country Data Set details. Learn more about how the Gallup World Poll works.
