Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has stated that the nation’s relationship with Russia is set to change, independent of any political party in power. “Our relations with Russia will inevitably change. This is not connected to any individual or political force. Whoever it may be, Armenian-Russian relations will no longer be as they were before,” Pashinyan declared.
He further emphasized that as long as a peaceful atmosphere prevails in Armenia, the nature of relations with Russia cannot remain the same. “The dynamics of Armenian-Russian relations during times of conflict are one thing, while in times of peace, they are entirely different,” he noted.
Context
- Armenia is a member of the Eurasian Economic Union under the leadership of President Vladimir Putin, and hosts a Russian military base on its territory. However, relations deteriorated significantly when Russia failed to assist Yerevan during Azerbaijan’s military operations in Nagorno-Karabakh in 2023. In March 2025, the Armenian parliament passed a law to initiate the process of joining the European Union.
- On May 30, 2026, Putin warned that Armenia could face a “Ukrainian scenario” due to its aspirations for European integration, as reported by The Moscow Times.
- Parliamentary elections were held in Armenia on June 7, with Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party winning the majority.
