Pashinyan will not get any concessions from Putin: Vasily Koltashov

Vasily Koltashov, political scientist commented to Alpha News on the upcoming meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

According to the expert, no significant concessions should be expected from Moscow as a result of the meeting itself.

“Nothing should be expected from the meeting between President Putin and Prime Minister Pashinyan. This meeting in itself is a sign of the Russian president’s special goodwill toward the people of Armenia. Pashinyan will not be able to turn this special goodwill into a deal that would be disadvantageous to Russia, that would impose certain obligations on it, especially in the area of energy supplies favorable to the Armenian market, while at the same time Pashinyan continues down the path of anti-Russian policy, both domestically, continuing the repressions, with 2,000 people thrown into prison recently, and in terms of rapprochement with the West and integration into the Western anti-Russian game,” Koltashov said.

According to the political scientist, Vladimir Putin is well aware of the Armenian leadership’s policy and understands where it could lead relations between the two countries.

“Putin is perfectly well aware of what Pashinyan is doing and where it could lead relations between the countries. So Pashinyan will get no concessions, and the meeting will lead to nothing except Pashinyan being told once again that this isn’t the way to go. Either he turns Armenia toward Russia and slams the door in the face of his Western patrons, breaking, incidentally, with his Soros-linked mentors, or nothing happens, and relations will keep fading, including in trade, which will be especially unpleasant for Armenian industry and the agricultural sector. It’s precisely these that Pashinyan now wants to specifically protect. That is, he wants Russia to make concessions here, while he, Pashinyan, makes no concessions to Moscow anywhere, but instead goes directly against Moscow, so that he can keep moving down the path of full subordination to Western anti-Russian policy while still reaping the benefits of the Russian market,” the political scientist said.

According to the expert, Yerevan will not be able to preserve these economic benefits without changing its political course.

“I think Pashinyan won’t be able to get benefits from the Russian market out of Putin. Trade relations will keep deteriorating unless Pashinyan realizes that he shouldn’t be putting badges on himself like some kind of boy scout, but should instead change Armenia’s course, sharply change course, including by ending the political repressions,” Koltashov concluded.