On 30 December, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin called for deepening Russian-Armenian relations in the New Year and Christmas messages sent to Armenia’s leaders. 

“The outgoing year was not an easy one, but we hope that the challenges it brought along will be left behind,” Putin wrote to Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. “Importantly, we became fully convinced of the significance of friendly, allied relations between our countries. I am convinced that the further development of multifaceted Russian-Armenian ties meets the fundamental interests of our two brotherly peoples and goes in the mainstream of ensuring peace, security and stability in the South Caucasus region,” Putin added. 

“I would like to confirm the commitment to the further development of Russian-Armenian allied cooperation,” read a separate message sent by Putin to  Armenia's President Armen Sarkissian. Putin also sent a separate congratulatory message to Armenia’s former President Robert Kocharyan. Armenia's former president also released a statement for the Armenian people for the coming 2021, saying that the history of the Armenian people is full of tragic chapters. “We Armenians have survived many disasters. We have often been on the brink of life and death, but our best national qualities—wisdom, courage, patience and diligence—have always helped us to be reborn. I am confident we can do it again,“ Kocharyan accentuated.

The Russian ambassador to Armenia Sergey Kopirkin also issued a congratulatory message. “The year of 2020, which has become a year of serious tests for all of us, is approaching the end... Coronavirus infection, dramatic events associated with the escalation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict have left their mark on all aspects of our life. In a harsh environment of cooperation and mutual trust. Entering the new year with this baggage, we have every reason, despite the problems and difficulties facing us, to look to the future with optimism. We always expect good news and happy events from the New Year. I would like to hope that he will not deceive us,” Kopirkin’s message read. It was also reported that Russia provided  Armenia with 10 million euros assistance to co-finance measures designed to show financial assistance to the population forcibly displaced to Armenia from Nagorno-Karabakh.

Meanwhile, following the failed negotiations with the Prosperous Armenia and Bright Armenia leaders, Gagik Tsarukyan and Edmon Marukyan (Caucasus Watch reported), Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that consultations with the political forces in the country for holding snap parliamentary elections would occur in 2021. “I cannot say that yesterday’s meetings were failed ones. There was a discussion, the interested parties listened to each other, and discussions are continuing at this stage,” stated Pashinyan’s spokesperson Mane Gevorgyan. She also said that Pashinyan would also meet with a nominally independent parliamentarian who leads a recently formed party as well as the heads of other political groups that hold no seats in the country’s National Assembly in the coming days.

One of the leaders of the opposition Homeland Salvation Movement Ishkhan Saghatelyan also addressed the nation, saying that in the coming year Pashinyan would sign another document with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev. “On 18 November, the main traitor [Nikol Pashinyan] announced his 6-month roadmap, according to which he had to resolve important issues for our country in the coming months. In terms of time, he has implemented about 25%, or a quarter, of his plan. As a result, in the fifty days after the humiliating capitulation statement, the Sotk gold mine, the villages of Khtsaberd and Hin Tagher in the Hadrut region of (Nagorno-Karabakh), the Goris-Kapan interstate motorway of Armenia, Armenian province Syunik's key strategic positions kept invincible by volunteer platoons, hydropower plants and other vital facilities, territories and residential districts from Shurnukh and Vorotan villages of Armenia—not marked by a tripartite statement—were handed over to Azerbaijan,” the message read.

“Within the framework of his 6-month plan, the traitor is going to concede a number of settlements of Lachin region of Nagorno-Karabakh, about 30 hectares of land from Karahunj village of Armenia, and a number of settlements of Tavush Province of Armenia to Azerbaijan. In the near future, Nikol Pashinyan is going to sign a new document with Ilham Aliyev to legalise the territories he gifted to the Turks by verbal arrangement. Therefore, the main task of the whole cognisant society is the getting rid of the traitor as soon as possible and the salvation of the Homeland,” Saghatelyan added.