According to a new study conducted by the Bratislava-based think tank GLOBSEC, over half of respondents in Hungary, Bulgaria, and Slovakia still do not hold Russia solely responsible for the conflict in Ukraine.
The GLOBSEC Institute conducts comparative opinion surveys in nine Central and Eastern European nations on a regular basis. This year’s questions centred on Ukraine. The study was conducted in late March and early April, more than a month after Russia’s invasion. One question asked was, “Who do you believe is responsible for the war in Ukraine?”
Only 51% of Slovaks, 50% of Bulgarians and 48% of Hungarians placed the responsibility on Russia.
The study also showed that 35% of Bulgarians believe that Ukraine is a puppet of the West and 12% say that it is Part of Russia.
“The distorted view of certain segments of populations towards events in Ukraine, combined with potential economic hardship ahead, could leave these vulnerable groups as potential targets for populist and autocratic leaders,” the GLOBSEC analysis concluded.
