Commenting on Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s remarks about the Ukraine conflict, the Kremlin noted that it understands Armenia’s position and recognizes there are nuances in how Yerevan approaches the war. Kremlin spokespersons emphasized that Armenia’s stance is taken into account while Moscow continues to deepen its conceptual alliance with Yerevan.
During a CNN Prima News interview the night before, Pashinyan stated that Yerevan is not an ally of Moscow in the Ukraine war. He said, in effect, that the idea of Armenia being Russia’s ally had never been openly declared, but was noticeable to observers. He added, “We are not Russia’s ally in the war with Ukraine,” and argued that the conflict touches Armenia personally and shapes its relations with Moscow.
According to Pashinyan, the West views Armenia as aligned with Russia in the Ukraine conflict, while Moscow understands that this is not the case. He argued that Armenia finds itself without a clear ally in this situation, making it vulnerable. Yerevan’s leadership has tried to maneuver in a difficult regional climate, insisting that Armenia cannot afford to solve other nations’ problems, yet admitting there is less room for maneuver as time goes on.
CSTO issue
A chronic point of friction between Moscow and Yerevan is Armenia’s relationship with the Collective Security Treaty Organization. On May 22, Pashinyan signaled the possibility of Armenia leaving the CSTO. He noted a decline in trust from Armenian citizens toward Russia, the CSTO’s largest member. He suggested that any legal withdrawal would come only after Armenia formally confirms that the CSTO has left the country, and he hinted that CSTO membership remains an item for ongoing discussion.
Pashinyan linked Armenia’s CSTO position to the organization’s push for a monitoring presence on the Azerbaijani border. CSTO press secretary Vladimir Zainetdinov reported that the organization has been working on a monitoring mission, with a high-level document prepared. But the plan did not advance because CSTO member states refused to render a political judgment on Azerbaijan’s actions in its conflict with Armenia.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that deploying a mission should not be seen as an act of condemnation toward Baku. He said that while rhetoric and public positions can vary, the decision to send a CSTO mission should not be driven by external accusations or harsh statements.
Sanctions
In May, Pashinyan, speaking to a Czech publication, described Western sanctions on Russia as a “red line” for Armenia. He reassured that Armenia would not harm Russia but could not accept sanctions that would affect its own economy and livelihoods. Armenpress reported his stance as being transparent about these concerns.
He stressed that Armenia aims to be as transparent as possible about sanctioned goods and maintains cooperation with the European Union, the United States, and Russia. The Wall Street Journal cited UN data indicating that last year the United States and the European Union supplied more than 8.5 million dollars’ worth of integrated circuits to Armenia, a figure far exceeding 2021 exports. In contrast, Armenian exports to Russia rose to about 13 million dollars. Yet the Armenian government rejected Russia’s help in circumventing sanctions.
Meanwhile, Financial Times reported that following the start of Russia’s military operation in Ukraine, roughly 2 billion dollars of EU goods traveled through Russia to destinations including Armenia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. A significant portion of this cargo reportedly did not reach its final recipients. In April, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced export restrictions on companies from Russia, China, Uzbekistan, Armenia, and others, aimed at preventing evasion of export controls and the purchase of American goods for Russia’s needs.