Steven N.A study conducted by Political Capital in March on the war in Ukraine and how NATO is perceived in Hungary found that Fidesz had painted a particularly positive view of Russia before it invaded Ukraine, while political commentators for the regime have downplayed the responsibility of Vladimir Putin since the war broke out.
The fact that the government has portrayed the Russian leadership as a reliable and good partner, while portraying the West as a kind of dying chaotic system appears to have paid off in public opinion: not only do many Hungarians not feel that Hungary is a part of the west, but a quarter of the population believes in conspiracy theories about NATO and the US, and nearly as many of these have uncertainties about these. [Azonnali]
