Russia is carefully analyzing its relations with Armenia after it became clear that the United States will sign a strategic partnership with Yerevan, Reuters reports. According to Moscow, Washington has never played a stabilizing role in the South Caucasus, quoted by BTA.
Armenia, a former Soviet republic and traditional ally of Russia, has sought closer ties with the West in recent years. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov commented that "The United States is trying to attract new countries into its entourage", adding that Washington "has never played a stabilizing role in the region".
A strategic partnership agreement between Armenia and the United States is expected to be signed later today in the United States, officials said. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and his U.S. counterpart Anthony Blinken are set to discuss details of the new relationship in Washington, but few specifics were released.
The United States and Armenia hold annual joint military exercises and have signed a number of trade and investment agreements. The American Armenian diaspora also has an influence on these ties.
Armenia took steps last week to apply to join the European Union, despite little chance of that happening anytime soon. Meanwhile, relations with Moscow have been strained by Russia’s failures to defend Armenia from attacks by Azerbaijan, including in 2023.
Peskov stressed that Armenia has the sovereign right to develop foreign relations, but Russia “intends to continue developing its relations with Yerevan.”