On June 13, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that Armenia does not intend to sever relations with Russia, emphasizing a balanced foreign policy approach amid regional challenges.

Speaking in the Czech Republic, Pashinyan said, “Our parliament recently passed a law to start the process of joining the European Union. We now have very close cooperation with the EU. However, we do not seek to sever relations with Russia, as our foreign policy is balanced. That is our strategy.”

Regarding the presence of Russian troops in Armenia, Pashinyan clarified, “We are not seeking to end the presence of Russian troops in Armenia. We face a difficult situation in our region. You mentioned Russian troops in Armenia, but I note that there is also a European observer mission monitoring the border with Azerbaijan. Last year, we reduced the level of Russian troop presence, but we are not aiming to end it. Our goal is to establish lasting and stable peace with regional countries.”

Pashinyan highlighted ongoing peace efforts with Azerbaijan, noting that both countries have agreed on a draft peace agreement. “We are discussing with Azerbaijan how to achieve this and sign a peace agreement,” he stressed, adding that now is the time to formalize the agreement.