Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed satisfaction with the trajectory of Russian-Armenian relations during a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. The meeting took place amidst heightened tensions between the two countries. Putin highlighted the significant growth in trade between Russia and Armenia, particularly within the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), emphasizing the importance of economic cooperation.
Trade between Armenia and other EEU countries has surged fourteen-fold since 2015, Putin noted, with bilateral trade hitting a record high of over $7 billion last year. This growth is largely attributed to Armenia’s re-exportation of Western goods to Russia. While acknowledging security concerns in the region, Putin indicated that these matters would be addressed in private discussions.
Pashinyan echoed Putin’s sentiments, acknowledging the accumulation of issues requiring discussion since their last meeting in December. The subsequent closed-door meeting did not yield any immediate agreements.
Despite recent strains in the relationship, notably since September, when Yerevan accused Moscow of neglecting security commitments and sought closer ties with the West, both sides expressed willingness to address differences. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov remained optimistic, citing the political will on both sides to resolve disputes and maintain bilateral relations.
