Armenia Avoids Contacts With Russia at MFA, MoD Level; Russian Deputy FM Says

Armenia has recently shown a lack of interest in maintaining high-level contacts with Russia, according to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin. This development marks a significant change in the relationship between the two nations, particularly at the levels of their Foreign and Defense Ministries.

Galuzin disclosed that there have been no bilateral meetings between the foreign ministers of Armenia and Russia since November 2023. He highlighted that Armenia has not responded to proposals for developing a new plan for inter-departmental consultations. This lack of engagement extends to the defense sector as well, where there has been a noticeable decline in military and technical cooperation.

The Russian Deputy Foreign Minister attributed this shift to the pressure exerted by Western countries on Armenia. According to Galuzin, these countries are pushing Armenia to reduce its ties with Russia. Despite this pressure, Galuzin expressed hope that Armenia's stated intention to address and resolve problematic issues in their relationship would be realized in practice. He emphasized Russia's readiness to work towards improving the situation.

Despite the decline in diplomatic and defense interactions, Galuzin noted that contacts between Moscow and Yerevan have not been completely severed. He pointed out that significant progress continues in the commercial and economic spheres. The bilateral intergovernmental commission for economic cooperation, co-chaired by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk and Armenian Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan, remains active. This commission meets regularly, including within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).

Furthermore, Russia and Armenia continue to collaborate on cultural and humanitarian projects, indicating that while high-level diplomatic and defense contacts have waned, other areas of cooperation remain strong.