Russia’s restrictions have already begun affecting Armenia’s economy: Vasily Koltashov

Vasily Koltashov, political analyst, commented to Alpha News on the current state of Armenian-Russian relations.

According to the expert, economic restrictions from Russia have become an unexpected factor of pressure for Armenia.

“It was assumed that Russia would patiently tolerate the Armenian government’s new, already radical shift toward the European Union, and that this would have no consequences, because Russia never objected to Armenia’s multi-vector policy.

However, the restrictions are now starting to have an effect, primarily in the agricultural sector and the food industry as a whole. It’s clear that Armenian products can’t easily find markets. The European Union, despite being such a large economy, nevertheless hasn’t proven open to Armenian goods. That’s precisely why Nikol Pashinyan, Prime Minister of Armenia, called Russian President Vladimir Putin, they had a conversation for exactly this reason,” Koltashov said.

Speaking about the prospects for further relations between Moscow and Yerevan, the expert noted that a new stage of a complex political game is beginning.

“A complex, subtle, and by now familiar political game is starting again — the one called ‘convince Russia to agree to everything.’ But Moscow may show considerable and rather unexpected firmness this time, above all in demanding that Armenia commit to a course in a completely different direction.

It will be very, very difficult for Pashinyan to explain to the Russian president why his strategy is wrong and unsuitable, and why his own multi-vector strategy is the right one. Problems arise here because in Russia, public opinion is convinced that the Armenian leadership and Armenia are betraying Russia, that Armenia could be used as a resource against Russia and thereby create new problems for Moscow. If this isn’t entirely accurate, and the Armenian leadership is in fact acting according to its own logic and Armenia’s interests, then Pashinyan will have to listen to the Russian president, or rather, understand that the direction needs to change sharply: Armenia needs to move closer to Russia, and stop moving closer to the West, otherwise nothing good will come of it,” Koltashov concluded.