All-Armenian Fund ex-director thinks about Union State, deployment of nuclear weapons

Former director of “Hayastan” All-Armenian Fund Ara Vardanyan has said that the more Yerevan takes anti-Russian steps, the closer Moscow’s relations with Baku and Ankara will be.

“By making statements in Munich, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is fully destroying Armenia,” Vardanyan told the Armenian media, Caliber.Az reports.

Vardanyan noted the format of Pashinyan’s meetings in Munich, in particular, the meeting with Chief of the UK’s Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) Richard Moore. Such contacts do not lead to anything good.

“Moore is Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s friend. In fact, Moore is a co-author of a new project of pan-Turkism envisaging negative consequences for Armenia. However, Pashinyan’s statement that as for Ukraine, Armenia is not an ally of Russia in this issue is the most dangerous one,” Vardanyan said.

“Pashinyan did not say that in this issue Armenia is not an ally of the West either. He did not declare Armenia’s neutrality in this issue, as, for example, India did. Pashinyan is fully destroying Armenia,” Vardanyan said on 5TV.

Vardanyan did not agree with the authorities’ opinion that Russia’s interests at this stage coincide with the interests of Azerbaijan and Türkiye, and therefore Armenia is forced to look for alternatives. The anti-Russian steps were taken from the first day the current ruling team came to power. Russia’s response was a rapprochement with Baku and Ankara.

He noted that it is possible to save Armenia by establishing the Union State.

“At some stage, Armenia must conclude a cooperation agreement with the Russian Federation similar to the one that Russia has with Belarus. Perhaps an agreement must be reached to place nuclear weapons on Armenian territory,” he said.

The TV channel presenter stressed that proceeding from this statement, Vardanyan could be reproached for his readiness to cede a certain element of Armenia’s sovereignty.

“Will subordination to Türkiye retain a sense of sovereignty? Does EU membership have anything to do with sovereignty? I see this as a way to guarantee Armenia’s existence in this region. Unfortunately, we have no other way. I don’t see any other way out,” Vardanyan added.