Russia can no longer ignore Armenia’s course toward the European Union: Dmitry Babich

Political analyst Dmitry Babich commented to Alpha News on the state of relations between Russia and Armenia.

In the expert’s view, Moscow is making every effort to prevent a sharp deterioration in relations, but cannot help noticing Yerevan’s foreign policy course.

“Of course, Russia is making every effort to prevent, well, a sharp deterioration in relations. That’s it. But the problem is that the Armenian side, primarily in the person of Pashinyan, well, they’ve chosen this option. They want Russia to, so to speak, not notice this orientation of Armenia specifically toward the European Union and toward Western structures in general,” Babich said.

According to the expert, Moscow’s attitude toward this course taken by Armenia today differs from what it might have been 10-12 years ago, given the current state of relations between Russia and the European Union.

“Maybe 10 years ago, 12 years ago, such a situation would have suited Russia. Because Russia itself wanted, at that time, to build normal relations with the West, and it didn’t forbid other countries, including its own allies, from building such relations either. But now relations between Russia and the European Union are so difficult, so close to conflict, that Russia simply cannot afford, right now, perhaps unfortunately, cannot afford to overlook the fact that Armenia, under its current leadership, is now tying its future specifically to the European Union,” Babich concluded.