Kremlin on US-Armenian relations says Washington plays destabilizing role in Caucasus by Reuters

MOSCOW (Reuters) – The Kremlin said on Tuesday that Russia values ​​its close relations with Armenia and that the United States, which is set to sign a strategic partnership deal with Armenia, has never played a stabilizing role in the region.

Armenia is a former Soviet republic, and has traditionally been a major ally of Russia, but in recent years the country has established closer relations with the West.

“The United States, of course, is trying in every possible way to attract new countries to its wake,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters during a daily press conference.

He added that Washington “has never played a special role in stabilizing the South Caucasus – one could even say the opposite.”

Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken are scheduled to sign a strategic partnership agreement in Washington later on Tuesday. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Armenian Ministry did not publish further details.

Washington and Yerevan conduct annual joint military exercises in Armenia, and the two countries have signed several trade and investment agreements. The United States also hosts a large Armenian diaspora.

Armenia’s parliament last week backed a bill to launch the country’s bid to join the European Union, although quick accession is unlikely.

Meanwhile, Yerevan’s relations with Moscow have been strained by what Armenia describes as Russia’s failure to defend it against neighboring rival Azerbaijan, including during a short war in 2023.

Although Armenia remains a treaty ally of Russia, it has repeatedly said it does not support Moscow’s war in Ukraine and has sent humanitarian aid to Kiev.

Peskov told reporters that Armenia has a sovereign right to develop relations with any country, but said that Russia values ​​its relations with Armenia and “intends to develop them further.”