Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has described relations with Armenia as “close” and “allied,” but at the same time “complex.”

Speaking at a press conference in New Delhi after the BRICS ministerial meeting, Lavrov accused the West of attempting to sever what he described as Armenia’s mutually beneficial economic, trade, and investment ties with partner countries of the CIS and the Eurasian Economic Union, warning that Armenia could lose all the advantages of its membership in the bloc.

He said Armenia–Russia ties will be discussed during an upcoming Eurasian Economic Union summit to be held in Kazakhstan later this month. He added that he regretted Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan would not attend the summit, saying the meeting could have been a good opportunity to discuss all “outstanding issues.”

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced earlier this week that he will not attend the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) summit on May 28 in Astana, Kazakhstan, due to the campaigning period in Armenia.