Envoy: Russia-Armenia relations enter new phase amid shifting global realities

Russia remains Armenia’s leading trade, economic, and investment partner, as well as a reliable guarantor of the country’s energy and food security, despite external shocks, Russian Ambassador to Armenia Sergey Kopyrkin has said.

Speaking at a reception marking Diplomatic Workers’ Day, Kopyrkin stated that bilateral relations have entered a new stage of adaptation in response to changing circumstances, amid geopolitical turbulence affecting the South Caucasus region, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.

“Overcoming the challenges we face requires long-term political will and strategic wisdom from both sides to preserve and enhance the accumulated body of cooperation,” he said.

The ambassador welcomed the recent visit of Armenian Parliament Speaker Alen Simonyan to Moscow, which he said provided an additional impetus to bilateral ties. Kopyrkin emphasised that Russia is fully committed to a sovereign, strong, and self-sufficient Armenia, a goal effectively supported by Armenia’s full participation in joint integration initiatives. He noted that Armenia’s GDP has increased 2.5 times over its ten years of membership in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).

Cultural, humanitarian, and people-to-people contacts have also traditionally been active, with Russians consistently leading among foreign tourists visiting Armenia.

“Friendship between our nations has been bequeathed over generations, forged through centuries of shared victories and joint constructive work, and strengthened by close personal ties,” Kopyrkin added.

He further reflected on the global shifts reshaping the international order, describing the transition to a multipolar system as “painful”. New centres of political, economic, technological, and financial influence are emerging.

While it is still too early to define the parameters of the future global architecture, the foundations are being laid on principles of genuine equality, consensus-building, and mutual consideration of interests. Kopyrkin noted that these principles underpin new multilateral groupings such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and BRICS.

“The era of the West’s undisputed dominance, which has long ignored the rest of the world, is coming to an end. This historical process cannot be stopped,” he said.

By Aghakazim Guliyev