“We do not consider the presence of the Russian military base to be vitally necessary”: Pashinyan

Nikol Pashinyan, Armenia’s prime minister, said during a government meeting that he does not consider the presence of Russia’s 102nd military base in Armenia to be vitally necessary.

“We do not consider the presence of the Russian military base to be vitally necessary. If Russia decides to withdraw the military base from Armenian territory, we will not object. If it decides to keep it, we are also ready to discuss that,” he said, adding that the issue had not been raised before.

Earlier, during his meeting with Pashinyan, Vladimir Putin, Russia’s president, said: “If Armenia believes it doesn’t need the Russian base in Gyumri, we will leave as early as tomorrow.”