Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Armenia is not an ally of Russia on Ukraine, distancing Yerevan from Moscow. The statement came after criticism surrounding President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to Armenia. Pashinyan also pointed to Armenia’s humanitarian support for Ukraine as part of its independent foreign policy stance.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Thursday, May 7, that Armenia is not allied with Russia on Ukraine, signaling a clear distancing from Moscow’s position.

According to Armenian state news agency Armenpress, Pashinyan made the remarks during a government briefing when asked about President Volodymyr Zelensky’s recent visit to Yerevan.

“We have sent humanitarian aid to Ukraine, and I have said that we are not allies of Russia on the issue of Ukraine,” Pashinyan said.

Pashinyan’s comments came amid criticism over Zelensky’s visit to Armenia on Monday, where he attended the European Political Community summit.

The Armenian prime minister reiterated that Yerevan maintains its own position on Ukraine, separate from Russia.

Pashinyan also emphasized that Armenia’s foreign policy is guided by its own strategic interests, including its approach to regional peace efforts.

He pointed to the Alma-Ata Declaration as a key framework for Armenia’s position, including its ongoing peace process with Azerbaijan.

Armenia has increasingly distanced itself from Russia after Moscow’s perceived support for Azerbaijan in the aftermath of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, signaling a shift toward a more independent foreign policy.

Armenia is a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO), a Russian-dominated group comprised of six post-Soviet states, but has frozen its participation in the Russia-led alliance since February 2024.

Bogged down in its own war in Ukraine, Russia refused to come to Armenia’s assistance in the latest Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, arguing that Yerevan itself recognized the disputed region as part of Azerbaijan.

After that, in October 2023, Armenia officially ratified the Rome Statute, a treaty which established the International Criminal Court, of which Russia is not a part.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin over his Ukraine policies.