Armenia Sees No Advantage in Keeping Russian Military Bases; Pashinyan to Wall Street Journal

In the wake of Azerbaijan's military operation occupying Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), Armenia's Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinyan, has openly expressed his nation's reconsideration of hosting Russian military bases on its soil. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal published on Wednesday, Pashinyan indicated that Armenia no longer perceives the strategic advantage of retaining Russian military presence after the recent territorial developments.

The 9 month long blockade followed by war then ethnic cleansing that took place in Artsakh, according to Pashinyan, has prompted Armenia to reevaluate its security alliances and diversify its relationships in the security sphere. "These events have essentially brought us to a decision that we need to diversify our relationships in the security sphere, and we are trying to do that now," stated Prime Minister Pashinyan in the interview.

Russia maintains a significant military presence in Armenia, with garrisons stationed in two locations and an airbase. Moscow has long considered itself the guarantor of Armenia's security in the volatile South Caucasus region, which is crisscrossed with vital oil and gas pipelines.

However, Pashinyan's statements have raised eyebrows not only in Armenia but also in Russia. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, responding to the prime minister's comments, conveyed the Russian authorities' surprise. "We don't yet know if he said those words, and if he did, where, in what context. We don't have such information," Peskov was quoted as saying by Interfax news agency later on Wednesday.

Pashinyan's remarks signal a potential shift in Armenia's geopolitical landscape, underscoring the evolving dynamics in the South Caucasus region. As Armenia navigates the aftermath of the recent conflict and reevaluates its strategic alliances, the global community watches closely, anticipating how these decisions will shape the region's future security landscape.