Budapest: Hungarians view Ukraine as almost as significant a threat as Russia, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey reported by the Hungarian daily Nepszava on Sunday.

According to Anadolu Agency, the survey explored perceptions of key allies and main threats by region, revealing that 33% of Hungarians consider Russia the most serious threat, while 27% perceive Ukraine as the second-greatest threat. Nepszava highlighted a connection between these perceptions and Prime Minister Viktor Orban's criticism of Kyiv amidst the ongoing war with Moscow, alongside his opposition to Ukraine's EU accession, emphasizing that "Orban's propaganda is effective."

The survey results indicated a disparity in threat perception between supporters and non-supporters of the ruling party, Fidesz. Nepszava reported that only 11% of Fidesz members view Russia as the main threat, in stark contrast to 52% among non-Fidesz members. In addition, 45% of Fidesz voters see Ukraine as the top threat, compared to just 14% among non-Fidesz voters.

The survey further revealed a significant lack of trust in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy among nearly three-quarters of Hungarians. Despite the Orban government's anti-EU stance, the survey found that most Hungarians still regard the EU as the country's main ally, with 24% expressing this view, closely followed by the US at 23%.