On May 6, during a conversation with journalists, Alen Simonyan, the Speaker of the Armenian Parliament, stated that Russia had effectively abandoned Armenia during the 2020 war. Referring to the consequences of the conflict, Simonyan emphasized several times that Armenia’s ally had “at the very least, left us to fend for ourselves.” He added that people in the de-facto Nagorno-Karabakh particularly came to understand this reality after the events of 2020.

Commenting on the possibility of tensions in Armenian-Russian relations following the recent European Political Community summit in Yerevan, Simonyan questioned whether Armenia should constantly consider Russia’s reaction while pursuing its own national interests. “I believe it is wrong,” Simonyan stated, arguing that Moscow itself does not take Armenian interests into account when advancing its own policies.

According to Simonyan, Armenia is focused on protecting its own security and sovereignty. He noted that during the war with Azerbaijan, Russia continued selling weapons to Baku while simultaneously maintaining allied relations with Armenia. “So, is Armenia supposed to remain a slave?” Simonyan asked. He criticized the notion that Armenia should seek approval regarding its diplomatic contacts or international engagements, questioning why hosting foreign guests or maintaining relations with other states should provoke negative reactions.

Addressing Armenia’s economic dependence on Russia, Simonyan stated that the country faces a broader choice between remaining subordinated to external powers or developing genuine independence. He argued that Armenia should not replace one “Big Brother” with another and stressed the importance of preserving political freedoms, including free elections and an independent media environment.

Simonyan also criticized Armenia’s pre-2018 political system, claiming that the country lacked real sovereignty during that period. According to him, presidential elections were manipulated, and congratulatory messages from Moscow would sometimes arrive even before official election results were announced. He further alleged that key government appointments required Russian approval and that much of Armenia’s political system operated in coordination with Moscow. “There was no independence prior to 2018,” Simonyan stated.

Simonyan also stated that he would be prepared to visit Azerbaijan if invited. Commenting on the absence of Ilham Aliyev, the President of Azerbaijan, from the EPC summit in Yerevan, Simonyan said he did not know why Aliyev chose to deliver remarks via video message instead of attending in person.

At the same time, Simonyan emphasized that he remains open to dialogue with Baku and invited his Azerbaijani counterpart to visit Yerevan. According to him, one of the clearest indicators of progress toward peace is the absence of fatalities along the border, as well as restraint in political rhetoric.

Simonyan further expressed the view that Aliyev is currently focused on issues related to peace and trade. When journalists challenged that assessment and noted that Aliyev’s rhetoric had not significantly changed, Simonyan avoided directly addressing the criticism and instead accused the media of misrepresenting the situation.

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