Armenia no longer considers Russia strategic partner: Pashinyan

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Thursday that his government no longer considers Russia a strategic partner, citing Moscow’s failure to intervene during Yerevan’s 2022 military escalation with neighboring Azerbaijan.

Security obligations unmet

Speaking at a news conference in the capital, Pashinyan accused Moscow and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) of failing to uphold security obligations, referring to Russia’s refusal to assist Armenia during border clashes in September 2022. “After the events of September 2022, how can we say that there is a strategic partnership?” Pashinyan said, responding to questions about the omission of partnership language in Yerevan’s new government program.

“If we now write ‘strategic partnership,’ you will ask why Russia and the CSTO did not fulfill their security obligations in September 2022. What should I answer you?” he said. The remarks underscored Yerevan’s growing frustration with its traditional security guarantor amid shifting regional dynamics following the resolution of the Karabakh conflict.

Government program overhaul

The Armenian government’s 2026-2031 program omits any reference to strategic partnership with Moscow, instead pledging to pursue dialogue aimed at mutually beneficial cooperation as Yerevan transforms its ties with Russia “in the new conditions of establishing peace in the region.” Presenting the document to parliament, Pashinyan characterized the recalibration as a natural progression following the establishment of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The program signals a pivot toward a more balanced foreign policy for Armenia, which has historically relied on Russian security guarantees through the CSTO framework. Officials in Yerevan have increasingly diversified diplomatic engagement since the 2022 clashes, though Moscow remains a significant economic and military partner.

Kremlin counters claims

Russian officials have rejected Yerevan’s accusations, maintaining that security obligations under the CSTO charter did not extend to the Karabakh region — internationally recognized as sovereign Azerbaijani territory — but applied only to Armenia’s internationally recognized borders. The distinction proved critical in September 2022, when Azerbaijan seized control of several areas inside Armenia proper during cross-border fighting that killed dozens.

Armenia and Azerbaijan have fought multiple wars over the Karabakh region since the late 1980s, with Baku fully liberating its internationally recognized territory in a lightning offensive in September 2023. The decades-long conflict has reshaped regional alliances, with Armenia increasingly seeking security partnerships beyond Moscow’s orbit while normalizing relations with its Turkic neighbor.