How to Deal with Armenia’s Geopolitical Trilemma? Examining Public Opinion

This article focuses on the analysis of foreign policy attitudes and perceptions within Armenia’s society. The analysis is based on the comparison and interpretation of results of various quantitative surveys conducted in Armenia from 2009 to 2015. The results of this comparative chronological analysis are compared with the basic principles of official foreign policy, enshrined in the National Security Strategy of Armenia (2007). In this framework, the core emphasis is placed perceptions of European and Eurasian dimensions of Armenia’s foreign policy. The objective of this analysis is to identify the existing and changing features of the foreign policy orientation within Armenia’s society. It is concluded that for Armenia’s society there was and is not any “Eurasian”, but only a “Russian” choice: the vast majority of Armenia’s population considers relations with Russia as strategic and as based not on economic or socio-cultural, but mainly on political (security) reasons. However, absolute majority also welcomes Armenia’s broad cooperation with West, especially with the EU. Moreover, the majority even stands for Armenia’s membership in the European Union alongside with the membership in the Eurasian Union.