A recent survey by Policy Solutions shows that most Hungarians see Ukraine as a bigger threat than Russia. This was reported by the Hungarian news site Telex.
Survey Results
The survey, conducted in the spring, shows that 51% of Hungarians consider Ukraine the greatest threat.
Russia comes next at 46%, followed by China and the USA, both at 34%.
This represents a major change from last year when Russia was seen as the biggest threat, 12 percentage points higher than Ukraine.
Researchers noted that Hungarians' views of Ukraine have gotten much worse over the past year, affecting all respondents regardless of their political affiliation.
Changing Attitudes
In addition to the shift in perceived threats, 27% of Hungarians now believe that closer ties with Russia and leaving the European Union would be good for Hungary.
But 43% of the population still opposes closer ties with Russia.
Attitudes towards Ukrainian refugees have also deteriorated. Only 17% of respondents would welcome Ukrainian refugees in their neighborhood, while 49% would feel negatively about it.
The question of whether the European Union should assist Ukraine continues to divide Hungarian society. This is reflected in the changing opinions about Ukraine and Russia.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban recently visited Moscow on July 5, just days after a visit to Kyiv, which stands as a testament to the complex nature of Hungary's foreign relations.
