Overwhelming majority of Armenians back military cooperation with France Poll shows

A recent poll conducted by the Armenian representative office of GALLUP International, titled "French Kiss," reveals significant insights into Armenian public sentiment, highlighting preferences regarding foreign relations and military cooperation.

According to the poll findings, a substantial majority of respondents, 58.1 per cent, oppose severing ties with Russia, indicating a preference for maintaining diplomatic relations. However, only 28 per cent express support for Armenia's continued membership in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), with an overwhelming 40.3 per cent advocating for the country's non-aligned status, Caliber.Az reports citing Armenian media.

One of the key questions posed in the poll pertained to Armenia's strategic interests concerning its relationship with Russia: whether breaking relations with Russia corresponds to Armenia's strategic interests. 23.2 per cent of respondents were sure that the break with Russia fully corresponds to Armenia's interests, 13.9 per cent answered "rather corresponds", 16.1 per cent think "rather does not correspond", 42 per cent think "absolutely does not correspond".

Regarding Armenia's international affiliations, a significant portion of respondents, 40.3 per cent, favoured maintaining a non-aligned status, while 28 per cent supported continued membership in the CSTO. A notable 22.5 per cent expressed a preference for Armenia's alignment with NATO.

In terms of military cooperation, an overwhelming majority of Armenians, 85.7 per cent, voiced support for the development of military ties with France. Of these respondents, 56.2 per cent viewed such cooperation as "absolutely positive," while 25.9 per cent considered it "rather positive." Conversely, a minority of 4.7 per cent viewed this collaboration as "rather negative," with 9.6 per cent expressing an "absolutely negative" stance.

The "French Kiss" poll sheds light on the nuanced perspectives of Armenians regarding foreign relations and military cooperation. While preferences vary regarding Armenia's alignment with major international alliances, there is clear support for maintaining diplomatic relations with Russia and expanding military cooperation with France.