“Armenia cannot exist without Russia”: a poll in Lori

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan does not pursue a clear policy and cannot be trusted at his word. This view was expressed by a resident of the Lori region during a poll, speaking about the country’s foreign policy and its relations with Russia. According to survey participants, ties with Russia must not be severed under any circumstances, as more than 2 million Armenians live there and Armenia cannot exist without the Russian Federation.

“Gas, flour, and oil come from Russia. Our people go there to earn a living. Europe, even with the best will in the world, will not be able to help us, since we share no common border. How would we send our water, brandy, and wine to Europe? By plane? That would be far too expensive, whereas trucking to Russia is much more affordable. On top of that, Europe has very strict standards, our products simply won’t sell there,” one respondent emphasized.

Lori residents also noted that people abroad are well aware of the head of state’s character, and are therefore deliberately pushing him to act against Russia and orient himself toward the West, as a result of which Armenia is suffering serious losses today.