Hungarians and Poles take different views on whether Russia poses a threat to its neighboring countries aside from Ukraine.
In Hungary, opinion is somewhat split. About a third of Hungarians, respectively, say Russia is a major threat or a minor military threat. And 27% do not consider Russia to pose a threat to neighboring countries. Those who place themselves on the ideological right in Hungary are more likely than those on the left to say Russia is not a threat.
Support for Hungary’s politically dominant right-wing populist party Fidesz plays a role on opinion here as well. Hungarians with a favorable view of Fidesz are less likely to say Russia is a major threat and more likely to say Russia is not a threat than those with an unfavorable view of the party.
In Poland, which shares a border with both Ukraine and the Russian province of Kaliningrad, 77% say Russia is a major threat to neighboring countries. Just 13% say Russia poses a minor threat, and 5% say it is not a threat at all. Those with a favorable view of the ruling right-wing populist party Law and Justice (PiS) are more likely to say Russia is a major threat than those with an unfavorable view of the party (85% vs. 74%, respectively). For more information on how we categorize populist parties, read the Appendix.
