Attitudes towards Russia in a Country bordering War-torn Ukraine: Antecedents, Prevalence, and Consequences for Voting Behaviour

Abstract

The war in Ukraine has raised many questions about how people in bordering countries react to such a conflict. Do they understand its stakes? How do they form their opinions about the belligerent parties, and what influences their attitudes and their domestic political choices? In this context, using a national survey (N=1000) with control variables for religiosity, education, and gender, we examine how the Romanians’ attitudes towards the Russian Federation are shaped by their political knowledge, conspiracy mindset, and media consumption and trust. We found that people prone to take pro-Russia attitudes usually have lower levels of political knowledge, hold conspiracy beliefs, consume and trust more the news disseminated through social media, and are more likely to vote with extreme right-wing parties. Religiosity and gender are also important aspects that influence people’s attitudes in the sense that more religious males take a more positive stance towards Russia.