‘Period of uncertainty will continue for a while’: political scientist on Armenian-Russian relations

Russian political scientist Andrey Areshev commented to Alpha News on Armenia’s refusal of CSTO assistance.

“Today we are faced with some further evidence that official Yerevan really does not need the assistance of the CSTO at all. Well, obviously, the bet is on the expanding European monitoring mission. We know that after long delays, an agreement on the status of European observers was signed. As far as I understand, they were provided with fairly preferential terms for staying in Armenia, including the absence of customs inspection.

Obviously, based on all these and some other facts, we can conclude that the Armenian government is reorienting towards Western partners, towards the USA and France. Time will show what this will lead to. As far as I understand, Yerevan is confident enough that its importance for Russia is so high that there is no need to fear any drastic actions on the part of Moscow in response to all this,” the expert said.

Areshev believes that the regime of political swings, initiated by the current Armenian authorities, will last for a long time, and he does not see an end point in the period of uncertainty between the parties.

“We are dealing with a certain process. Well, this poses a question of de jure withdrawal from all those integration associations of which Armenia is a part. But I am not sure that we will see this end point in the near future, because the current Armenian authorities, as I understand it, receive certain benefits from being in the Eurasian Economic Union and from bilateral relations with Moscow. So, I believe that the period of uncertainty will continue for a while,” Areshev concluded.