Russian-Armenian relations have entered a rather interesting phase. On the one hand, there are no major contentious issues in the bilateral relationship between the two countries. On the other hand, external factors have created challenges that affect their bilateral ties.
In other words, these challenges stem primarily from Armenia’s relations with the West, which, in turn, influence Armenia’s relationship with Russia. Viewed in this context, it becomes clear that issues directly related to bilateral relations can generally be resolved through working-level discussions. However, when the discussion shifts to Armenia’s broader foreign policy, disagreements begin to emerge.
A few days ago, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin held a telephone conversation. According to official statements, they discussed the agenda of Armenia-Russia cooperation, including trade and economic relations, science and technology, and cultural and humanitarian cooperation. It is noteworthy that the phone call was initiated by the Armenian side.
At the same time, several Armenian media outlets reported that Prime Minister Pashinyan had initially sought to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin but was unable to do so. In reality, from Armenia’s perspective, both the Russian president and the prime minister can be considered counterparts to the Armenian prime minister. Pashinyan regularly meets with both of them, participating in intergovernmental events with Mishustin and in meetings of heads of state with Putin.
Judging by the official readout, the conversation with the Russian prime minister focused exclusively on economic, trade, and practical cooperation rather than political issues. Consequently, it is reasonable to assume that the remaining political matters will be discussed with President Putin at a later stage.
Another notable point is that President Putin has not yet congratulated his Armenian counterpart on the victory in the recent parliamentary elections. Of course, no congratulatory message has been issued so far, and the most likely explanation is the ongoing proceedings before Armenia’s Constitutional Court and the fact that the final election results have not yet been officially confirmed. Moreover, it is generally not customary to congratulate a leader merely on winning parliamentary elections; such congratulations are usually extended after the individual is officially elected or appointed prime minister.
