Pashinyan: Armenia and Russia Reviewing Bilateral Relations as Yerevan Clarifies Position on CSTO and Russian Base

YEREVAN — Armenia and Russia are continuing a comprehensive review of their bilateral relations to better define the various areas of cooperation and outstanding issues between the two countries, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on September 17.

“As we agreed with Russia during the negotiations in Bishkek, we are continuing an inventory of Armenia-Russia relations to determine the various layers that make up those relations,” Pashinyan told reporters following a government meeting.

The prime minister noted that Armenia-Russia relations encompass numerous areas, including transportation, energy and economic cooperation.

“The railway issue comes up, and everyone begins working on it. Then the gas issue comes up. Armenia-Russia relations are multilayered, and there are numerous problems, issues and opportunities within them. This inventory process is underway, and discussions are continuing or beginning accordingly,” Pashinyan said.

He added that Armenia is holding talks with all potential partner countries regarding gas imports and other related matters.

Pashinyan also addressed Armenia’s relationship with the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), saying Yerevan should not be threatened with expulsion from the Russian-led security alliance.

“We do not need to be threatened with removal from the CSTO. If they want to remove us, let them remove us. If they do not want to, then let them not remove us. That is our position,” he said.

The prime minister also reiterated that Armenia has never formally raised the issue of removing Russia’s 102nd Military Base from Armenian territory.

“We have never put the issue of the Russian military base operating in Armenia on the agenda. Now Russia has raised the issue for discussion, and we are positioning ourselves in relation to that discussion,” Pashinyan said.

He maintained that the presence of the 102nd Russian Military Base, particularly in light of the events of September 2022, demonstrated that the base does not have vital significance for Armenia’s security.

“The 102nd Military Base and the events of September 2022 showed that it does not have vital significance for Armenia’s security,” Pashinyan said.

He stressed that no Armenian official had previously raised the question of the base’s withdrawal in discussions with Russian officials.

“There has not been a single instance in which any of our officials raised such a question with a Russian official,” he said.

Pashinyan added that because Moscow has now publicly raised the issue, Yerevan is prepared to address it within the broader discussion over the future of Armenian-Russian relations.