Armenia is too small a country for the Russians to regard it as a friend. This was stated on Vesti FM by the CEO of the Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VTsIOM) Valery Fyodorov, who was commenting on the words of host Giorgi Saralidze that Armenia has not been included among the top 3 countries with which, in the opinion of Russians, the Russian Federation has developed the most friendly relations.
"What matters is whether the country is in focus. If a bloody conflict was renewed there, of course, Armenia would appear much more frequently on the information agenda, and people, subsequently, would have named it more often," Valery Fedorov said.
In addition, he noted that Armenia, despite its long history and modern relations, is certainly very small. "Therefore, in most cases, Russians simply do not notice it," the expert concluded.
The All-Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VTsIOM) published on its official website data of a survey showing with which countries, according to Russians, we have developed the most friendly relations.
First place among the top friends in the Russian public consciousness is China - since 2008 the share of Russians sympathetic toward it has increased from 23% to 52%. In second place of the most friendly states for Russia, the respondents put Belarus – it was indicated by 32% of respondents. In third position among Russia's best friends is Kazakhstan, it is considered to be a friend by one in five respondents (20%).
