Dmitry Zhuravlev: If the Armenian authorities show their unfriendly attitude towards Russia, we will have to respond

Director General of the Institute of Regional Problems Dmitry Zhuravlev commented to Alpha News on Armenia-Russia relations amid anti-Russian statements by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

According to the expert, Russia often tries to keep the relationship even in cases where the government of another country does not want it.

“The vision of our relationship is complicated because Russia often tries to keep it even when the government of another country does not want to.

For example, the trade turnover between Russia and Armenia is undoubtedly a serious and objective indicator, but it is more a sign of our friendliness than of our friendship. This is more an intention than a reality, because if Mr. Pashinyan is so actively moving Armenia’s policy towards the West during the fierce confrontation between Russia and the West, then, you understand, we will not succeed in friendship,” Zhuravlev said.

In his words, there will undoubtedly be no hostility between our peoples but retaliatory measures will be taken at the political level.

“There will be no hostility, undoubtedly, because we are close peoples. We have lived together for many centuries. No one has ever spoken about Russian-Armenian conflicts. At the national level, I am sure that relations will remain just as good. As for the economy, we are trying to maintain economic relations with good intentions. And as for politics, it doesn’t depend on us alone.

If the Armenian authorities are so clearly committed to friendship with the West, if, for the sake of demonstrating this friendship, it wants to show its unfriendly attitude towards us, we will have to respond at the political level, but not at the military or any other levels.

I fully understand the current authorities of Armenia; they believe that they took everything that could be taken from Russia. And now they are looking for new friends. It’s logical and reasonable,” the political scientist said.

When asked what actions Russia might take in response to Armenian unfriendly statements, the expert said that it depends on specific actions the Armenian government will take.

“If we are just talking about some statements, then we will make our own. But if it’s about some actions, then the diplomatic tradition itself requires responding to every action accordingly,” Zhuravlev concluded.