Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images(MOSCOW) — Donald Trump has said he would have a “very, very good relationship” with Russia. To see if the feeling was mutual, ABC News’ Patrick Reevell asked Russians in Moscow what they thought about the two U.S. presidential candidates.
The responses suggested it might be going overwhelmingly in favor of Trump. Of the roughly two-dozen people asked in ABC News’ straw poll, almost none expressed support for Hillary Clinton, with more saying they didn’t like either candidate. However, most said they would choose Trump without hesitation.
It echoes an earlier, scientific poll by the YouGov agency in April that showed Russia was the only G-20 country where people preferred Trump to Clinton.
Those result perhaps reflect efforts by pro-Kremlin media that has presented Clinton as a warmonger and has appeared to back Trump as likely to act more friendly towards Moscow. Trump’s own promises to get on with President Vladimir Putin and suggestions he might recognize Russia’s annexation of Crimea, as well as potentially reduce support for NATO, also may have helped him.
The breaching of Democratic Party organizations by hackers suspected of being directed by Russian intelligence, as well as some complimentary words from Putin, has prompted speculation the Kremlin is backing Trump. Many ordinary Russians, it seems, would not be opposed.
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