Moscow stepped up its warnings against Yerevan on Thursday, saying that participating in the NATO summit Armenia is endangering it security.
Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin said that by deepening its cooperation at such a fast pace “with those whose goal is the ‘strategic defeat’ of Russia, Yerevan is seriously putting its own security at risk and destabilizing the situation in the South Caucasus.”
“Speaking about the security sector, I would like to emphasize that Armenia remains a member of the CSTO and is a party to numerous bilateral agreements in the military and military-technical spheres,” Galuzin told the RIA Novosti news agency.
Expressing Moscow’s dismay at Yerevan’s decision to take part in the NATO Summit, currently underway in Washington, Galuzin chided Yerevan for not taking what he called “constructive” approaches to its concerns. He said instead that Yerevan “unfortunately has chosen a different path.”
“Armenia is choosing to strengthen cooperation with NATO or individual members of that alliance, especially in terms of implementing NATO standards—purchasing weapons, or conducting joint combat training activities—not to mention participation in the summit of this military-political bloc taking place in Washington these days,” he said, expressing regret for Yerevan’s choices.
“I think knowledgeable experts and politicians in Armenia understand the possible costs of such imprudent steps,” he added.
Galuzin said that Yerevan is being “unrealistic for its attempts to ‘occupy two seats,’” and echoed statements made last month by Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk, who warned that Yerevan Westward tilt will impact its economic well-being since Armenia is a member of the Eurasian Economic Union.
