Russia wants clarity from Armenia in relations: Movses Ghazaryan

Movses Ghazaryan, political scientist, commented to Alpha News on the upcoming talks between Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, and Nikol Pashinyan, Prime Minister of Armenia.

“The planned meeting between President Putin and Prime Minister Pashinyan, whose exact date has still not been set, has, in my view, several important aspects for Russian-Armenian bilateral relations.

First: the Russian side would like to get a certain clarity from the Armenian side regarding the development of relations between Yerevan and Moscow.

Second: regarding Yerevan’s intentions in shaping its own geopolitical positioning. Does Yerevan choose to be with Moscow, Brussels, Washington, or Ankara? Moscow would simply like to get some clarity, some understanding, and proceed from there.

Third, the Russian side wants to demonstrate, whatever the outcome, something like goodwill and openness. If Yerevan, officially, is indeed considering distancing itself from Russia and integrating into a different security system, as it appears to me, then one must be prepared for what the President of Russia has described as a “civilized divorce.” This is a very important point,” Ghazaryan believes.

The political scientist also touched on the question of the Russian military base on Armenian territory, whose importance for Armenia’s security he particularly emphasized.

“As for the fate of the 102nd military base, stationed in Gyumri, Armenia, first of all, this is still a matter of strategic significance for ensuring the security, territorial integrity, and sovereignty of the Republic of Armenia, and a certain pattern of insinuation and speculation on the part of representatives of the Armenian cabinet of ministers somewhat surprises me. This is, after all, not a secondary or tertiary issue, to be subjected to speculation in order to show that, supposedly, we can manage on our own.

No, this is not that kind of situation, this is a situation on which a great deal depends for modern Armenia as a whole. That is, to a large extent, both Turkey and Azerbaijan are substantially restrained precisely by the factor of the 102nd Russian military base and by the likelihood that, in the event of direct aggression against the Republic of Armenia, a violation of its territorial integrity and sovereignty, the Russian Federation would do everything possible and impossible with its own armed forces to ensure Armenia’s sovereignty,” the expert concluded.