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Become a memberOn Thursday, political consultations were held between the Armenian and Russian foreign ministries in Moscow. The two sides discussed a ‘broad range of issues’ focused on bilateral relations, including the development of trade and economic cooperation between Armenia and Russia.
The consultations were headed by Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Mnatsakan Safaryan and his Russian counterpart Mikhail Galuzin.
Armenia’s relations with Russia have appeared to improve in recent months, following a deterioration in recent years. The freefall of the bilateral ties started mostly following Russia’s lack of support, as well as the Moscow-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) during Azerbaijani attacks on Armenia in 2021 and 2022. Another major reason was the ‘inaction’ of Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh, when Azerbaijan placed the region in a nine-month blockade and forced it to surrender in a culminating lightning offensive in September 2023.
In a readout of the talks, the Armenian Foreign Ministry stated that the sides ‘emphasised’ in the context of developing bilateral relations ‘the importance of political dialogue at all levels, including through the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, as well as continuity of mutually beneficial cooperation in various areas’.
The two sides also exchanged views ‘on the development of trade and economic cooperation’, in addition to the upcoming ‘joint events and projects to be implemented in the cultural and humanitarian spheres’.
Safaryan briefed Galuzin about ‘the main directions and vision of Armenia’s foreign policy’, and mentioned the recent developments of the peace process with Azerbaijan — the finalisation of the peace treaty, the progress of delimitation efforts, and ‘Armenia’s ongoing efforts to unblock [transit and infrastructure connections] within the framework of the "Crossroads of Peace" initiative’.
The Russian Foreign Ministry described the meeting as a ‘frank and substantive exchange of views’ and that the two sides had ‘agreed to maintain the given dynamics of contacts between foreign policy services, as well as to increase interdepartmental dialogue’.
‘The Russian side noted the need for a consistent deepening of partnership in Eurasian integration associations, including taking into account the fundamental transformations of the international situation’, the Russian Foreign Ministry’s statement read.
The deputy ministers also highlighted the situation in the South Caucasus, the ministry’s statement read, saying ‘its development prospects were discussed in detail, as well as the possibilities for deepening cooperation between the states of the region and their neighbours in the format of the 3+3 Regional Cooperation Platform’.
The 3+3 platform included Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia on one side, and Iran, Russia, and Turkey on the other.
The major shift in Armenia–Russia relations was noticed in January, when Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, held talks in Moscow in ‘a sincere and constructive atmosphere’.
Mirzoyan noted the ‘need to continue inter-[foreign ministries] consultations’. In turn, Lavrov expressed confidence that ‘this exchange of views will contribute to the settlement of certain recent issues in our relations’.
Lavrov also said that both sides were ‘in favour of expanding ties’ and ‘want bilateral relations to be resistant to any momentary influence’.
Following the agreement on the text of the peace treaty with Azerbaijan on 13 March, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, ‘informing’ him about the development.
According to the Kremlin, Pashinyan confirmed during the call that ‘he accepted the invitation’ of Putin ‘to take part in the 9 May celebrations in Moscow marking the 80th anniversary’ of the USSR’s victory in World War II.
Arshaluys Barseghyan
Russia also said that Armenia’s ‘frozen’ membership in the CSTO ‘does not contribute to strengthening Armenia’s security’.
The statement came in regards to Armenia not paying its contribution fees to the CSTO.
Earlier, Sergei Kopyrkin, Russia’s Ambassador to Armenia said that no other country gave Armenia ‘any security guarantee that would be comparable’ to what Russia offers.
The list was compiled by the state-run National Research Institute for the Development of Communication and ranks all post-Soviet countries.
