Armenia’s Communication Regime in the Context of Foreign Policy Transformation: the Role of Discourses

The article analyzes the signifi of the country communication regime and its essential elements for comprehension of the foreign policy course of states amid modern geopolitical transformations. Particular attention is drawn to the information and communication space as a fi   of contestation for infl where the communication regime serves as a tool for shaping and transforming political discourse. Based on the example of Russian-Armenian relations after Armenia’s 2018 “Velvet revolution”, the author specifi the ambivalence of Armenia’s foreign policy, refl cted in contradictory statements by governmental offi  media narratives, and the polarization of public opinion regarding integration formats such as the CSTO, EAEU, and cooperation with the EU. Armenia’s contemporary course is characterized by a shift toward a multi-vector foreign policy, involving participation in Eurasian integration formats while simultaneously expanding strategic partnership with the West. The communication regime, as a tool for regulating the national information and communication space, and the discourse formed within it serve the purposes of transforming foreign policy and legitimizing this multi-vector approach. An analysis of strategic and normative documents, as well as official statements, demonstrates that the discourses emerging in official declarations are gradually leading to a shift from the foreign policy priorities declared in strategic documents and legal acts. This dynamic features the contribution to the consolidation of new strategic guidelines in the long term. The author emphasizes the necessity to maintain and upkeep a friendly discourse toward the Russian Federation, highlighting the risks of negative rhetoric escalation and the further displacement of positive narratives about Russia from the public sphere.

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