NEWSLINK: “Russians Remain Confident in Putin’s Global Leadership; Majority says Russia has improved its international standing, but views of the economy are mixed and corruption is a concern” – Pew Research Center/ MARGARET VICE

“President Vladimir Putin’s handling of foreign affairs gets high ratings from most Russians, in contrast to more tempered views of his economic policies and anti-corruption efforts at home. … Today, however, Putin earns lower marks (63%) than he did two years ago (83%) for his handling of relations with Ukraine. Support for the Russian president has also declined when it comes to his approach to relations with the EU, China and the United States. Despite slippage in how well the public thinks their president is handling key foreign policies, a majority of Russians say their country plays a more important role on the world stage than it did 10 years ago. …”