Armenian top lawmaker plans official visit to Moscow

The Speaker of Armenia’s National Assembly, Alen Simonyan, has announced plans to make an official visit to Moscow following an invitation from Russia’s upper house of parliament.

Speaking at a parliamentary briefing, Simonyan said he had received a reciprocal invitation from Valentina Matvienko, head of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, in response to her visit to Yerevan in June last year. While the exact timing of the trip has not yet been finalized, the invitation remains in place, Caliber.Az reports, citing Armenian media.

“The date has not yet been determined, but there is an invitation to visit the Russian Federation on a reciprocal basis from Valentina Matvienko,” Simonyan said.

Addressing broader issues in Armenian-Russian relations, the parliament speaker indicated that he may use the visit to raise concerns over controversial public statements made by Russian television presenters and other prominent figures about Armenia. He stressed that such remarks have resonated in Armenian society and could warrant direct discussion with Russian counterparts if deemed necessary.

Simonyan was also asked to comment on recent statements by Russian television host Vladimir Solovyov, who suggested the possibility of conducting a so-called “special military operation” in a number of countries and regions across the post-Soviet space. In addition, questions were raised about remarks made by Russian philosopher Aleksandr Dugin, which have drawn attention in Armenia and beyond.

By Vafa Guliyeva