To preserve security, Armenia should join the NATO military alliance according to a new survey. 34.1% of those who took part in the survey had a similar viewpoint to "Armenian society is at a fork in the road" regarding orientations, priorities, and perceptions in foreign policy. The survey was carried out by SOCIES Expert Center professionals with the help of YSU and financial support from the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.

The study's major focus is on Armenian society's foreign policy priorities following the "velvet revolution" and the 44-day Karabakh conflict. The impact of popular perceptions of "friends" and "enemies," public comprehension of "friendly" and "unfriendly" governments and associated negative political trends on the development of Russian, European, and American (Western) trends in international relations was highlighted.

At the same time, just 29.1% of respondents perceive the CSTO to be a "security umbrella," 26% do not regard any of these military alliances (CSTO, NATO) to be a guarantee of Armenia's security, and 10.7% do not know what they are.

At the same time, 46.1% of respondents believe Armenia's participation in the European Union is the most promising, 28.7% voted for EAEU membership, 12.5% do not favour any economic union, and 12.6% have no knowledge of these unions.

However, respondents believe that cooperation with the Russian Federation (52%) will have the greatest economic impact on Armenia, followed by the EU (49%), the United States (41%), China (38%), Iran (24%), India (16%), and to a lesser extent Georgia (9.5%) and Turkey (3%).

In terms of security cooperation, most respondents supported a collaboration with Russia (53.5%), followed by the EU (34%), the United States (31%), China (11%), Iran (10%), India (4%), Georgia (2.5%), and Turkey (2.5%). In terms of education, however, Armenians prefer to associate the future with the EU (56%), somewhat less with the US (37%), Russia (29%), China (15%), and to a lesser extent, India, and Iran.

In terms of guaranteeing human rights, the EU gets the most votes (52%) followed by the Russian Federation (26%), China (8%), India (4%), Iran (3.5%), Georgia (2%), and Turkey (0.1%). In terms of increasing the quality of life, Armenians see collaboration with the EU as more promising (51%), somewhat less so with the US (over 39%), then China (20%), Iran (10%), India (8%), Georgia (over 4%), and Turkey (over 4%). According to the survey's findings, 69.7% of respondents believe Armenia should limit its connections with the Russian Federation and enhance its ties with the EU and the United States.

At the same time, 26.4% of respondents believe that strategic collaboration with the Russian Federation is Armenia's sole choice, while 3.9% believe that cooperation with the Russian Federation should be terminated entirely. Armenia's close ties with the Russian Federation, according to respondents, are the major impediment to the growth of relations with the West.

It should be emphasised that 1530 persons participated in the poll, with 570 being Yerevan citizens, 430 being inhabitants of regional cities, and 530 being residents of villages. Respondents were divided into four age groups: 18 to 34 years old (531 individuals), 35 to 49 years old (387 people), 50 to 64 years old (374 people), and above 65 years old (238 people). Probability 0.99%, sampling error +/-3.3%.