Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has harshly criticised what appeared to be statements by Armenian and EU officials suggesting that Russia was preparing ‘imaginary attacks’ on Armenia, as well as apparent accusations that the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) posed ‘an existential threat’.
The remarks were offered on Thursday during his meeting with Armenian Parliamentary Speaker Alen Simonyan, who was paying an official visit to Moscow.
‘It is somewhat puzzling for us to hear someone say now and then that some imaginary attacks are being prepared by someone “from the north” against Armenia, or about an existential threat allegedly posed by the CSTO’, Lavrov said in his lengthy introductory remarks.
The comments appear to be responses to earlier remarks by Simonyan and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
In May 2025, Simonyan said funds were coming from ‘our northern neighbour’, clarifying that he meant Russia, which he said ‘wages’ a ‘hybrid war’ against Armenia. At the same briefing, he ‘warn[ed]’ that the war would ‘become even more active in 2026’, when Armenia holds parliamentary elections.
Arshaluys Barseghyan
In January, Pashinyan said Armenia’s CSTO partners, implying Russia, were ‘refusing to deliver hundreds of millions of dollars worth of weaponry’ that Yerevan had already paid for, and that the bloc had failed to assist during Azerbaijani incursions in 2021 and 2022.
He said these events together ‘constituted an existential threat’ to Armenia.
On Thursday, Lavrov also addressed a statement by the EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas from December 2025, in which she stated that ahead of its 2026 parliamentary elections, Armenia had requested ‘similar help to fight the malign influence [sic], like [the EU] granted to Moldova’.
Kallas named ‘Russia and its proxies’ as the actors behind ‘disinformation campaigns’ in Armenia.
Arshaluys Barseghyan
‘I have no doubt whatsoever that responsible politicians in Yerevan are fully aware of the fact that such moves are being made for undeniably provocative purposes’, Lavrov said.
He further claimed that ‘EU colleagues’ were ‘quite actively working to oppose’ the Armenian leadership’s interest in maintaining ‘the current level of ties and cooperation’ with Russia.
‘We would like narratives that sow distrust, or even hostility, not to dominate or prevail in the public space of our two countries’, Lavrov said.
In turn, Simonyan assured Lavrov that ‘Armenia is interested in its ties with Russia’.
He added that he did not want there to be any perception in Russia that Armenia, ‘despite the fact that, of course, there are issues that need to be discussed’, was trying ‘in some way to act against Russia’.
Among other issues, Simonyan particularly voiced concerns about ‘the rhetoric that is frequently voiced publicly’ in Russia, adding that it worries not only their government, but also the Armenian society.
‘They react this way because Moscow is important. There is a perception that Moscow has been and remains an ally. That is why it is very painful to hear such statements’, Simonyan said.
Simonyan was seemingly referring to statements by various Kremlin propagandists, including ethnic Armenians, verbally attacking Armenian authorities and making other public calls for anti-government protests.
While in Moscow, Simonyan also met with his Russian counterpart, Valentina Matvienko. They discussed ‘a wide range’ of bilateral issues, including the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and other issues of regional interest.
Nate Ostiller
