I am optimistic about development of Russia-Armenia relations — Senator Mikhail Belousov

On the sidelines of the 9th International Scientific and Practical Conference “Russia and the World: Dialogues – 2025”, Russian Senator Mikhail Belousov spoke to Alpha News about Armenian-Russian relations.

“I want to believe that we have no other way than to establish normal relations. That pause or that certain decline in relations, caused by the decisions that were made in Armenia, has also been overcome. It is important for us that our steps towards rapprochement and joint cooperation are effective and understandable for Armenia, both from a historical perspective and from the perspective of developing modern relations both in industry and in the humanitarian sphere,” the senator said.

Touching upon the historical ties between Russia and Armenia, Belousov noted that it is necessary to move away from negative things that hinder centuries-old relations.

“There are many monuments dedicated to Russian soldiers in Armenia, and there are many villages in Russia where the Armenian population was accepted and developed by the will of the leaders, including the tsars, since the 19th century. Armenians, as a nation, are an integral part of the large Russian people. We have been together, side by side, for three centuries. Therefore, we simply need to distance ourselves from negative, temporary things. Yes, the Karabakh issue is complicated, but this should not hinder or be a big barrier to the development of relations. I may not recall the exact Armenian proverb, but it says, ‘You can’t move forward if you’re always looking back.’ I am optimistic about the development of our relations, and concrete steps are required from both sides,” Belousov said.