If a picture could serve as a declaration of independence, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s meet-and-greet photo with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, taken during the just-concluded European Political Community summit, could serve as the prototype.

For much of the post-Soviet era, Armenia was effectively a Russian protectorate. The tight bonds between the two states began fraying after Russia failed to honor its treaty obligations to come to Armenia’s defense during the Second Karabakh War, which ended in 2023 in a disastrous defeat for Yerevan.

Pashinyan’s hearty handshake with Zelenskyy, coupled with the fact that they spoke in English, effectively signaled Yerevan’s intent on making a complete break with the Kremlin and fully embracing a future with the European Union.

“Eight years ago, this country [Armenia] was seen by a lot of countries around the table as a sort of de facto satellite of Russia,” the EU-funded Euronews outlet quoted French President Emmanuel Macron as saying during the summit. He went on to praise Pashinyan for “de-risking this country [Armenia] from Russia.”

Zelenskyy, the Kremlin’s bête noire, tweaked Russia by stating Armenia and Ukraine will strengthen economic relations. “I proposed resuming the work of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation and holding its next meeting this year in Kyiv,” the Ukrainian president wrote on social media.

Russian leaders have reacted predictably.  A prominent Russian senator, Konstantin Kosachev, assailed what he described in a Telegram post as Armenia’s “betrayal.” He went on to accuse the West of playing a long game, stretching back over a decade and pre-dating Pashinyan’s rise to power, working assiduously to de-couple Armenia from Russia.

“Instructions … are now being executed in full force—cynically, duplicitously, and without a shred of shame. There is not even a whiff of sovereignty in the air,” Kosachev wrote. “This serves as a crucial lesson for Russia—a lesson born of bitter errors. We will learn from it. It is never too late to do so, no matter how bitter the pill may taste right now, in the wake of this betrayal.”

Shortly after the start of the Yerevan summit and the Pashinyan-Zelenskyy meeting, major Russian online retailers, including Ozon, announced they would stop offering Armenian-sourced products on their platforms.

Meanwhile, Russian mass media declared the Yerevan gathering, which brought together almost 50 leaders from across Europe, along with top members of the European Union leadership, as an “anti-Russian summit.” One Russian outlet noted the fact that the summit was held in Yerevan this year “demonstrate[s] attempts by Europe and the United States to expand their influence in the Caucasus region.”

An EU-Armenia summit, convened May 4 amid the larger pan-European gathering, gave a ringing endorsement to Pashinyan’s efforts to steer the country in a westward direction.

“This first EU-Armenia Summit elevates our partnership to a new level and sets a clear direction and agenda for the coming years,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement. “Going forward, we will also deepen political dialogue, strengthen economic ties, and work towards a more secure, prosperous, and stable future. Our cooperation is grounded in common values, a shared vision for the South Caucasus, and full respect for sovereign choices.”

The EU announced the establishment of a Partnership Mission in Armenia to enhance the country’s security and “resilience.” The two sides also created an EU-Armenia Connectivity Partnership, which the EU statement lauded as “a major step forward in strengthening transport, energy, and digital links.”

The timing of the EU’s fresh support for the Armenian government’s political and economic course is crucial for Pashinyan, given that he is locked in a tough reelection battle against an array of Russian-backed opposition forces. He is counting on EU backing to boost his electoral fortunes. The country will hold parliamentary elections on June 7. Opposition leaders are on record as vehemently opposing Pashinyan’s pro-EU course.

In addition to backing Armenia’s efforts to diminish Russian influence, an EU statement “reiterated its principled position on Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, and reaffirmed its support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.”

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