Yerevan’s Western lean puts Armenia-Russia relations in deadlock

Armenian Foreign Minister Mirzoyan’s remarks on Armenia’s non-alignment with Russia elicit a swift response from Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zakharova

Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan’s statements claiming Armenia is not aligned with Russia have prompted a response from Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova.

Since coming to power in the 2018 Velvet Revolution, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian of Armenia has continued to take steps to open his country to the West. These moves have gained momentum, particularly after Armenia did not receive the support it expected from Russia’s leadership in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) during the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War.

Tensions escalated on the Moscow-Yerevan axis following the signing of defense agreements between Armenia and France. The Pashinian administration believes that strengthening relations with France will bolster ties with the European Union.

On Tuesday,  Mirzoyan announced that his country had no plans to join NATO and stated that they would respond to any steps taken by the EU toward Armenia with the same sincerity.

Mirzoyan emphasized: “We no longer speak the same language as Russia.”

On Wednesday, Mirzoyan stated, “Russia and Armenia are now speaking different languages. Armenia’s new allies are the United States and the Council of Europe.”

Moscow wasted no time responding to Mirzoyan’s remarks. Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova asked, “We ask Armenia, when did your alliance begin, and will it end after a while?”

“Armenia sacrificed its relations with Russia and other close allies for the temporary allure of incentives from the European Union and the United States,” Zakharova added.

Sourec: Newsroom