Expert: Russia no longer viewed as Armenia's best ally

Armenian sociologist has said that Russia has lost its position as Armenia's most important ally in Armenian public opinion.

"After the 44-day war in 2020, sociological studies have shown that Russia has lost its place as Armenia's best ally in the Armenian public opinion," Armenian media quotes sociologist Karen Sargsyan as saying, Caliber.Az reports.

"At first, Russia conceded to France, but in March-April 2021, when the study was conducted, I said that the situation would change. Then the USA was in third place, but I understood that they would come out on top. Now I am sure that if we survey Armenia, the United States will already be in the first place," Sargsyan stressed.

At the same time, the expert noted that it is necessary to take into account the negative ratings, in which Russia occupies a high place among the threats that the population of Armenia sees to its security - along with Türkiye and Azerbaijan.

"The United States, as a country that has been supporting the establishment of democracy in Armenia since the 90s, now believes that Armenia has already gone through the most difficult. It is important to understand that Armenia has done everything it could do in terms of democracy. We've had some clean, good choices. Everything that internal resources allowed us to do, we did. Today, two of the 41 countries that the United States classifies as democracies are under threat, and if anything happens to them, it will be a blow to the reputation of the United States," Sargsyan said.

In his opinion, today's truce on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border is the result of direct US intervention.

According to him, Russia will try to intensify its propaganda in Armenia, using its henchmen, but a new approach is being formed in the country, rejecting pro-Russian and anti-Armenian relations.

"There is such an approach in Armenia now: if someone likes Russia more than Armenia, Zvartnots airport is open, you can go to Russia. I hear this thought more and more often, it will soon become the main narrative. Many in Russia have not yet understood this, but this opinion is spreading. I haven't met Russia's supporters in Armenia for a long time," Sargsyan said.