Foreign policy is one of the most important strategies for the protection of the country's international interests and creation of its the image. Aside from analyzing political course defined by the country in foreign relations, it is interesting and important to study the opinions of the population on this issue.

 

According to the survey conducted in Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia and Ukraine, the population assessed the countries which are friendly toward their countries. From each country 1200 respondents participated in the survey.

 

 

As it turned out, in Georgia, Ukraine is considered the country's biggest friend (53%), followed by Azerbaijan (38%) and the USA (33%). See Table #1 for more detailed information.

 

 

In case of Armenia situation is following: the majority of respondents - 69% - think that their country's friend is Russia. Far less of them - 28% - think that France is the friendly country for Armenia. See Table #2 for more detailed information.

 

To answer the question of which countries are their country's friend, in Azerbaijan 66% named Turkey, 30% named Georgia and equal part of respondents - 21-21% - named Russia and Ukraine. See Table #3 for more detailed information.

 

 

 

 

Population of Ukraine (37%) thinks that in difficult situations their country can hope for help from Belarus. Almost equal amount of respondents - 36-36% - think of Georgia and Germany as Ukraine's friends and 34% thinks that USA is friendly to their country. See Table #4 for more detailed information.

 

 

As for Russia, most of the population (65%) considers Belarus to be their country's friend. Then come Kazakhstan (51%) and China (41%). In opinion of 35% of respondents Armenia is Russia's friend country. See Table #5 for more detailed information.

 

In the end we can say that for Georgia, Armenia, Russia and Ukraine CIS countries are mostly considered as friendly countries. These countries have the biggest trust in Russia (77%) and Armenia (72%). In Russia's case this result is determined by high share of Belarus and Kazakhstan, while in Armenia's case it's Russia's high share – about 70% - of trust in its friendship.

 

On the basis of the friendly attitude towards Ukraine and Azerbaijan, the CIS countries have been evaluated as the most friendly countries for Georgia as well (69%). For Georgia and Russia, after CIS countries, countries from "Other Countries" category were assessed as friendly ones, according to assessment of Russia's population because of high expectations of friendly relations with China, in Georgia's case – because of friendly attitude from USA. See Table #6 for more detailed information.