US Vice President JD Vance wrote in his new book that Russian President Vladimir Putin enjoys broad support in his country. According to Vance, independent and objective measurement efforts show that Putin has high popularity among ordinary Russians.
In his book "Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith", Vance stated that this assessment is confirmed by "every independent and objective measurement." The statements in the book have brought discussions about Putin's domestic support back to the forefront.
Criticism of the West's approach
Vance also wrote that the West stubbornly refuses to accept the fact that Putin is genuinely popular. In his view, the West prefers to believe lies rather than see the uncomfortable truth.
In this context, Vance cited Munich as an example, recalling the moment he mentioned Putin's popularity during the 2024 Munich Security Conference. In his book, he described this environment as "a marketplace for convenient lies" and argued that it complicates sound decision-making.
VTSIOM data also reflected in the book
In a VTSIOM poll released in early June, it was reported that 72.3 percent of respondents in Russia trust Putin, and 66.6 percent approve of his work. When considered alongside this data, Vance's assessments in his book have made the debate over Putin's level of domestic support more visible.
These statements in the book have also drawn attention in terms of US-Russia relations and the West's view of the Russian leader. Vance's remarks have brought renewed focus to ongoing assessments in different political circles regarding Putin's standing in Russian public opinion.
