Russia Warns Armenian Leadership Against Major Policy Shift

(MENAFN) Russian authorities have cautioned Armenia’s leadership against interpreting the outcome of Sunday’s parliamentary election as a mandate to fundamentally alter the country’s geopolitical direction.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party secured nearly half of the votes cast after campaigning on closer integration with the European Union. However, the remaining parties that won representation in parliament largely advocated maintaining a more cautious foreign policy approach and preserving stable ties with Moscow. Russia remains Armenia’s leading trade partner and is home to the world’s largest Armenian community outside the country.

In remarks issued on Monday, Russian officials argued that the vote took place “against the backdrop of unprecedented pressure on the opposition and Western interference, primarily by the EU.”

According to reports, Moscow also criticized the conduct of the campaign, claiming that opposition groups and their supporters faced significant obstacles throughout the electoral process.

“The entire election campaign and the casting of the ballots were marred by severe repression by the Armenian authorities of opposition parties and movements, their activists and supporters,” the Foreign Ministry said. “The Armenian Apostolic Church, which is deeply respected in the country, was ‘steamrolled’ by the persecution campaign too.”

Russian officials further pointed to the substantial backing received by rival political forces that oppose Pashinyan’s vision of deeper EU alignment. They argued that this outcome demonstrates that Civil Contract “does not have a monopoly on power” and should take into account divisions within Armenian society regarding the country’s future foreign policy orientation.

Moscow has previously urged Armenian authorities to seek public approval through a referendum before pursuing major geopolitical changes. Russian representatives have also expressed skepticism about Pashinyan’s position that Armenia can simultaneously maintain strong partnerships with both Russia and the European Union.

According to reports, Russia maintains that the EU’s strategic objectives are at odds with Moscow’s interests. It also argues that the regulatory framework governing the EU’s free-trade system conflicts with the standards of the Eurasian Economic Space, the economic bloc in which Russia participates.

MENAFN10062026000045017281ID1111239345