In recent talks with my interlocutors in Hungary, I have heard versions of the following claims: “The US is instigating this conflict between Ukraine and Russia because the US wants to sell gas to the EU. Zelensky does what the US tells him to do. Remember when President Biden’s son was in Ukraine? All the meetings took place in English because there were so many CIA agents in the room.” “The US promised Moscow that NATO would not extend beyond its current borders when the system changed, but it did. Those new states have missiles. Ukraine has missiles, and Russia can’t let Ukraine become a part of NATO because the missiles would be right next to Russia!” “The US was angry about Russian missiles in Cuba, now Russia is worried about NATO missiles in the EU! It’s the same thing! Of course they have to protect themselves!”1
Hungarian citizens,...
