This study examines the factors contributing to the crystallization of public opinion toward Ukrainian war refugees in Romania. It uses an online national survey (N = 1000) to explore the relationships among anti-refugee sentiment, political views, and media consumption behaviors, including permeability to foreign disinformation narratives and anti-Western propaganda. The findings reveal some permeability to refugee-hostile and foreign disinformation narratives in volatile political contexts. Illiberal and pro-Russian attitudes, as well as voting intentions for anti-establishment and radical right populists, emerged as primary drivers of anti-refugee sentiment, whereas political knowledge was not significantly correlated. Additionally, the positive correlation between anti-refugee attitudes and support for at least some of Romania’s mainstream political forces underscores the complex interplay between mainstream and radical right-wing populist narratives. This phenomenon reflects a broader European trend where mainstream parties either adopt or fail to challenge exclusionary rhetoric, thereby legitimizing xenophobia and anti-refugee sentiments either through incorporation or strategic silence. Practical recommendations include enhancing media and information literacy, fostering institutional trust, supporting refugee integration, detecting and tackling disinformation, and addressing the structural causes of socio-economic divides and feelings of resentment. These insights contribute to understanding the socio-political and informational dynamics influencing public opinion toward refugees in Romania and possibly elsewhere across Central and Eastern Europe.