On 4 September, Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs commented on Armenia’s decision not to participate at the 80th anniversary of the start of World War II in Poland. 

“I read and endorsed the statement by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, and so do all of Russia’s partners,” she said at the briefing. She also said that Ukraine’s participation at the event is comprehensible, taking into account the current processes unfolding in the country. “But if we talk about countries that are part of the Commonwealth of Independent States, it seems to me that they completely share the idea of the impossibility and inadmissibility of sharing victory, rewriting history. It is very pleasant and important that this applies not only to statements, but also to the specific policy that is being pursued in in these countries: this is the care of the monuments, this is the support of veteran organizations, this is the holding of round tables, conferences, and the publication of books,” she concluded.

On 30 August, Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs Zohrab Mnatsakanyan commented on his decision not to participate on the anniversary and the decision of the Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan not to participate in the economic forum in Krynica, Poland, stating that it is an extremely sensitive and delicate topic for Armenia (Caucasus Watch reported).

Zakharova also spoke about the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and Pashinyan’s statement that Nagorno-Karabakh is Armenia (Caucasus Watch reported). “Such statements become an apple of discord and bring either additional questions or they may imbalance the fragile negotiation process. I respect the domestic political process and understand that given the democratic model of the political system, people have the right not only to speak on any topic, but also to formulate appropriate political prerequisites. I would like all the parties to proceed from the main thing, namely, to direct all resources to the peaceful settlement of the conflict,” she said, adding “that there is a need to act faster” in regard to the resolution of the conflict and that more appropriate statements are needed in order to achieve this goal.