Moscow says it will honour agreements on military base in Armenia

Moscow intends to comply with the bilateral agreements governing the presence of Russian troops at its military base in Armenia and expects Yerevan to take a similar approach, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on September 15.

Speaking at a briefing on the sidelines of the World Youth Festival, Zakharova said the Russian military base in Gyumri remained “one of the key elements of the security architecture” both in Armenia and across the wider region.

She added that “no tangible alternative is currently in sight.”

“The presence of the Russian contingent in Armenia is regulated by relevant bilateral agreements; for our part, we intend to comply with them. And we hope that the official Yerevan will take a similar approach,” Zakharova said.

The remarks come amid growing debate over the future of Russia’s military presence in Armenia and Yerevan’s evolving security ties with other partners.

By Tamilla Hasanova