Russian forces on Türkiye border could be withdrawn, Armenian FM says
Prime Minister Erdogan (R,) Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan (L.) (AFP Photo)
Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan announced that his government might consider the withdrawal of Russian border guards from the Armenia-Türkiye border if mutual trust is established between Yerevan and Ankara.
Speaking at a press conference, Mirzoyan clarified that the 102nd Russian military base in Gyumri remains outside the scope of current discussions. He emphasized that Armenian forces have already assumed control of parts of the country’s borders, notably with Iran, following recent developments.
“Russian border guards were temporarily stationed in Armenia until the Republic of Armenia could develop the necessary institutions and capabilities,” Mirzoyan stated. “We thanked the Russian border guards at the appropriate time and informed them that we could handle operations independently at Zvartnots International Airport.”
Mirzoyan noted that Armenian forces now manage border security and customs operations along the Armenia-Iran frontier. This transition followed improvements in Armenia’s capacity and strengthened trust with Iran.
On the Ar Türkiye border, Mirzoyan highlighted that the presence of Russian border guards could also be reevaluated. “We can discuss the withdrawal of Russian forces from the border with Türkiye once the border opens and mutual trust is established between the two nations,” he said.
Russian presence in Türkiye-Armenia border
Russian border guards have been stationed in Armenia since 1992 under an agreement between Moscow and Yerevan. Their mandate includes safeguarding the Armenia-Türkiye and Armenia-Iran borders.
However, shifts began in 2024. On August 1, border operations at Zvartnots International Airport were transferred from Russian border guards to Armenian personnel. By the end of the year, Russian forces also withdrew from the Armenia-Iran border, with Armenian units taking over security and customs responsibilities.
The prospect of similar changes along the Armenia-Türkiye border remains contingent on the normalization of relations between the two neighboring countries, a process that has seen intermittent progress in recent years.
While discussions regarding Russian forces continue, Mirzoyan reiterated that Armenia’s priority is to strengthen its own institutional and operational capacities to manage border security independently.
