Scholz and Biden see global ratings slip as Russia's standing slumps

Approval of German and US leadership dips in poll of 137 countries

Russia's invasion of Ukraine dominated 2022 for Olaf Scholz (L) and Joe Biden. AP

Germany’s global standing took a dent during Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s turbulent first year in power, while Russia’s reputation dived after it invaded Ukraine, a new poll has found.

Approval of US leadership also slipped during President Joe Biden’s second year in the White House.

But it remained higher than during Donald Trump’s presidency, according to the Gallup poll of 137 countries.

“The images of the US and Germany are in slightly weaker positions than before the war started, but they are still in much stronger positions than Russia,” a polling report said.

The poll found 46 per cent approval for German leadership, down from 50 per cent a year earlier.

Mr Scholz turned a historic page on Germany’s post-1945 pacifism by approving military aid to Ukraine.

However, Kyiv made no secret of its frustration at the slow pace of decision-making in Berlin.

The Scholz government also had an energy crisis to contend with after the war exposed Germany’s reliance on Russian gas.

“Germany’s image has lost some of its clout under new Chancellor Olaf Scholz,” the polling report said.

Approval for Russian leadership dropped from 33 per cent to 21 per cent in the first year of the war.

It came amid condemnation from the UN and western allies of Moscow’s military campaign in Ukraine.

Russia found few supporters for its invasion — with majorities in 81 out of 137 countries now disapproving of the Kremlin.

Fifty-seven per cent worldwide disapprove of Russian leadership, up from 38 per cent.

Moscow had disapproval ratings of 96 per cent in Ukraine, 95 per cent in Poland and 93 per cent in the US.

America’s reputation soared in Ukraine and Poland as Mr Biden threw US military might behind Kyiv.

But it dropped in other parts of the world, including in the Americas and Asia.

In all, 41 per cent approved of US leadership last year, down from 45 per cent a year earlier.

Approval of White House leadership had fallen to 30 per cent in the final year of Mr Trump’s presidency.

But the new findings “show the honeymoon is over” for Mr Biden, the polling report said.

“In the aftermath of Russia’s invasion, which is arguably one of the biggest foreign policy challenges to face a US president since the end of the Cold War, approval ratings of US leadership in Europe held relatively steady,” it said.

“However, disappointment with US leadership lurked underneath. In 12 of the 37 European countries surveyed in 2021 and 2022 — most of them Nato members — approval of US leadership decreased by 10 points or more.”

Only 4 per cent of Russians approved of US leadership.

But it was not the lowest figure on record. The US had only one per cent approval there in 2015, a year after president Barack Obama described Russia as merely "a regional power”.