Author: Emil Lazarian

At talks in the Kremlin, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan directly challenged Russian President Vladimir Putin over long‑standing geopolitical issues, most notably Russia’s failure to uphold its security commitments to Armenia. Pashinyan criticized the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) for not intervening during Azerbaijan’s advances in Nagorno‑Karabakh, highlighting a major source of tension between Yerevan and Moscow. Putin, in response, warned that Armenia cannot be both in the European Union and the Russia‑led Eurasian Economic Union, underscoring Moscow’s concern about Armenia’s westward political shift. The exchange was described by the Kremlin as frank and closed‑door, reflecting the complexity of their discussions, which also touched on economic cooperation, upcoming Armenian elections, and broader regional dynamics. In the days since the meeting, Russia applied stricter requirements on Armenian imports, a move seen as part of the broader diplomatic strain following the tense encounter.

Russian officials, including Medvedev, Zatulin, Kopyrkin, Peskov, Lavrov, and Overchuk, warned that the EU is becoming a military-oriented bloc, criticized Armenia’s EU-leaning policies, reaffirmed the incompatibility of EAEU and EU membership, and stressed the need for constructive dialogue and caution regarding Armenia’s choices.

Medvedev Warns EU Shift Threatens Russia And Neighboring States

On April 3, Dmitry Medvedev, the Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council, stated that the European Union is evolving from an economic bloc into a military-oriented alliance, warning that it could become “even worse than NATO” for Moscow, with serious implications for Russia.

He emphasized that this shift requires a reassessment of Russia’s stance toward neighboring countries seeking EU membership, including Ukraine. “It’s time to abandon the tolerant attitude toward our neighbors joining the military-economic European Union. Including country 404,” Medvedev stated on his Max channel. He added that Russia’s leadership had already signaled this change, noting that “membership in the EAEU and membership in the EU are incompatible.”

Medvedev recalled that, until recently, Moscow had maintained a restrained and neutral tone regarding EU accession aspirations among neighboring states, including Ukraine. “If you want to join, go ahead,” he remarked, describing the earlier approach.

However, he stressed that this position can no longer be sustained, arguing that the EU is “no longer an economic union.” According to him, it may “quite quickly turn into a full-fledged and extremely hostile military alliance for Russia, in some ways worse than NATO.”

Zatulin: “Pashinyan Exposed Himself During April 1 Meeting”

On April 3, Konstantin Zatulin, the Russian State Duma MP, commented on the recent meeting between Vladimir Putin, the President of the Russian Federation, and Nikol Pashinyan, the Prime Minister of Armenia, criticizing the Armenian leader’s policies and statements. Zatulin began by ironically noting the symbolism of holding the meeting on April 1, suggesting it gave Pashinyan an opportunity to “expose himself.” He added that the Armenian Prime Minister was fortunate to meet Putin rather than Donald Trump, implying the encounter could have been far more confrontational. According to Zatulin, Putin highlighted key concerns during the talks, including a sharp decline in bilateral trade, which reportedly dropped from $11 billion to $6 billion over the past year. He emphasized that Russia remains Armenia’s primary economic partner, pointing out energy pricing differences: “gas is currently trading at $600 per thousand cubic meters, while we sell it to you for $177.” Zatulin stated that Putin made it clear Armenia could seek alternatives, but Russia remains essential for its economy.

He further noted that Putin reiterated Moscow’s position that membership in both the Eurasian Economic Union and the European Union is incompatible. In response, Pashinyan acknowledged this but stated that “the time is not yet ripe,” indicating Armenia has not yet made a final choice. Zatulin argued that, despite such statements in Moscow, Armenian authorities are actively working to redirect the country’s economic and political orientation. He criticized Yerevan’s EU-related policies, including legislation supporting closer integration, claiming these moves are unrealistic and aimed at influencing domestic opinion rather than achieving actual membership. He also questioned Armenia’s reliability as an ally, pointing to declining trade and what he described as policies discouraging Russian investment. Zatulin cited remarks by Alexei Overchuk, the Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, who attributed the downturn partly to Armenia’s economic decisions.

Touching on regional issues, Zatulin accused Pashinyan of misrepresenting the situation around the former Nagorno-Karabakh region. He claimed that Armenia’s leadership had effectively recognized the territory as part of Azerbaijan and later blamed Russia and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) for developments. He rejected such claims, stating: “That’s a lie.” Zatulin also criticized Armenia’s stance toward the CSTO, questioning why Yerevan expects support against Azerbaijan while simultaneously improving relations with Baku. He argued that Pashinyan has used criticism of the organization for domestic political purposes. In addition, he referred to Armenia’s recent policy decisions, including discussions on transferring the railway concession managed by Russian Railways to Kazakhstan and potential cooperation with the United States on small modular nuclear power plants, as further signs of shifting alliances. Zatulin also addressed internal developments in Armenia, alleging pressure on pro-Russian figures and the opposition. He mentioned the arrest of Russian citizen Samvel Karapetyan, as well as actions involving representatives of the Armenian Apostolic Church, as examples contradicting claims of democratic governance. Concluding his remarks, Zatulin suggested that Pashinyan sought the meeting with Putin primarily to maintain the appearance of stable relations with Russia for domestic audiences. “I don’t think this meeting with Vladimir Putin will make it easy for him,” he stated.

Kopyrkin: “Moscow Genuinely Interested In Strengthening Relations With Armenia”

On April 4, Sergey Kopyrkin, the Russian Ambassador to Armenia, stated that Moscow is genuinely interested in maintaining and further strengthening relations with Armenia, describing the country and its people as “fraternal.”

He emphasized the importance of addressing existing challenges through open and constructive dialogue. “Therefore, we consider it necessary to speak frankly but constructively about the real problems that exist,” Kopyrkin stated, highlighting the need for honesty in bilateral engagement.

According to him, recent contacts at the highest level reflected a relationship based on trust. “How else can we discuss sensitive, problematic issues if not at this level?” he added, underscoring the role of high-level dialogue in resolving complex matters.

Kopyrkin also noted that initiatives aimed at deepening cultural ties are under consideration, including the organization of Armenian Cultural Days in Russia and Russian Spiritual Culture Days in Armenia later this year.

Peskov Emphasizes Constructive Russia-Armenia Relations And Dialogue

On April 5, Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov addressed questions regarding Russia’s position on Armenia and the recent Kremlin meeting between President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

Peskov emphasized that Moscow wishes to avoid “unnecessary references” to Russia when discussing the Karabakh issue. “The only thing President Putin and Russia want is that there be no unnecessary references to us when discussing this issue,” he told IS Vesti contributor Pavel Zarubin.

Commenting on Armenia’s participation in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), Peskov highlighted its economic benefits. “You have integration in the form of the EAEU. And you earn money there, quite a bit of it. Your membership in the EAEU now gives you the opportunity to develop at an accelerated rate, much higher than the CIS average, and certainly much higher than ours in the Russian Federation,” he said. He also stressed that Yerevan understands the impossibility of simultaneously being in both the EAEU and the EU.

Peskov noted that Russia reserves the right to discuss Armenia’s upcoming elections and future plans directly with Yerevan. “We consider ourselves entitled to try to clarify with our colleagues and genuinely discuss their plans [in the context of the upcoming elections],” he explained.

Highlighting the close historical ties and strong Armenian diaspora in Russia, Peskov said Moscow takes a particular interest in the priorities of the Armenian leadership. “Armenia is a country close to us, with which we share deep historical roots. We have a huge Armenian diaspora living here, over 2 million people. Therefore, the priorities the Armenian leadership chooses for itself are a matter of great interest to us,” he added.

Regarding the April 1 Kremlin meeting between Putin and Pashinyan, Peskov described the conversation as frank, useful, and necessary. “The conversation [during the meeting] was frank, useful, and necessary. The parties communicated their positions, particularly in the context of the upcoming elections in Armenia and the key issues of trade and economic cooperation on the agenda,” he noted.

Lavrov: “Armenian Side Demonstrated Understanding Of Concerns Expressed By Russia”

On April 5, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Armenia showed understanding of the concerns raised by President Vladimir Putin during his meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. “The Armenian side demonstrated understanding of the concerns expressed by Russia,” Lavrov said.

He added, “We will see how relations develop in practice,” emphasizing that the next steps will depend on Armenia’s actions following the discussions.

Overchuk Warns: “Armenia Could Lose Air Travel With Russia If Joining EU”

On April 5, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk warned that Armenia could lose air travel connections with Russia if it joins the European Union. “The current lack of air travel with European Union countries means that we will lose air travel with Armenia,” Overchuk stated.

He stressed that Armenian citizens should understand the potential consequences of Yerevan’s EU-oriented decisions. “This may sound very harsh, but we want people in Armenia to understand that if this happens, it will happen because decisions have been made to move closer to the European Union,” he emphasized. At the same time, Overchuk noted that the full consequences of Armenia joining the EU remain uncertain.

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