Since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the weight of Russian disinformation on Europe has intensified, and the Kremlin's war narratives have increasingly appeared in the public discourse of many countries, sometimes in the messages of pro-Russian media outlets or opposition parties, and in less fortunate countries, in the messages of pro-Russian ruling parties. One of the central elements of these messages is the issue of energy. Already in the first year of the escalation, in preparation for the winter of 2022, the narrative spread that if the war doesn't end, Europe will "freeze" as Russia heats the continent. Threats related to energy prices or energy supplies continue to play an important role in war communications, although fear-mongering about Ukrainian agriculture is also becoming more widespread. In fact, the Hungarian government is ahead of the curve in spreading Russian propaganda, portraying Ukrainians as criminals and mafia members. There is no doubt that energy coming through Russia or Ukraine is an important factor in the supply of the mix of energy of European countries, although many countries have taken steps to reduce or even eliminate their dependence. The Hungarian government is vigorously clinging to Russian energy, not only since the escalation of the war, but going back to 2010, especially since the announcement of its "Eastern Opening" foreign policy. Thus, as the European Union gradually tries to withdraw from Russian energy, it will become increasingly difficult to maintain Hungary's current energy supply, which is heavily dependent on Russia. In a sense, Hungary's energy supply depends on many factors: the country exporting the energy source, the countries through which the energy passes on its way to Hungary, the Hungarian government's foreign policy, and the European Union, of which Hungary is a member. Of course, these factors do not all carry equal weight. The current energy situation is the result of a decade of government neglect, which requires urgent attention, but opinions may differ. In a new joint study by Republikon and Connect Europe1, we examined what Hungarian respondents think about the factors that determine the success or failure of Hungary's energy supply.
The full analysis can be read here.
Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.