Russia, Putin Approval Rating: Russian President, Country Viewed Negatively Worldwide, In US

Amid purported aggression in Europe, Russia and its President Vladimir Putin were being viewed negatively by much of the international community, according to a survey published Wednesday by the Pew Research Center. The United States in particular has significantly changed its tune regarding Russia and its leader, with public opinion shifting heavily in just a few years.

Outside of its borders, a median of 30 percent of people viewed Russia favorably, Pew found. Putin got even less respect. A median of 24 percent of people in the countries surveyed "have confidence in Putin to do the right thing in world affairs," Pew reported. The research center surveyed 45,435 people in 40 different nations from March 25 to May 27, 2015. Of the 40 countries, 26 were more unfavorable toward Russia than favorable.

The findings have come during a tumultuous time for Russia both on the international stage and domestically. Tensions between Russia and Ukraine have continued as fighting in eastern Ukraine has left at least 6,400 dead. Western leaders and the Ukrainian government have long suggested Russia has been involved in the conflict between pro-Russia separatists and the Ukrainian government, which the Kremlin has continually denied. Meanwhile, the country's economy has sagged largely from oil's dropping price and sanctions first levied by the European Union and United States last year after Russia's annexation of Crimea. All the while, Putin has remained committed to a plan to upgrade the country's military that will cost $600 billion through 2020, according to Russian outlet TASS.

The view of Russia was particularly negative in Europe, where a median of just 26 percent viewed the country favorably. In the U.S., the perception of Russia has shifted sharply. Nearly half of the United States viewed Russia favorably in 2011, but by 2015 that number had dropped to just 22 percent, Pew found. Similarly, about one-in-five Americans have faith in Putin as leader on the international stage in 2015.

Russia has similarly soured on the United States and President Barack Obama. Just more than half of Russians had a positive view of the U.S. in 2013, but that number had dropped to just 15 percent in 2015. Support for Obama in Russia was about 40 percent in 2011 but had dropped to 11 percent by 2015.

On the whole, however, the world showed much more support for Obama than Putin, especially in Europe where three-quarters of people trusted the U.S. president to make correct decisions, Pew reported.