No French Legion coming: Analyst doubts France's role in Armenia’s defence

Military partnerships with Europe won’t guarantee Armenia’s security, according to Armenian political analyst Grigor Balasanyan.

Speaking on Sputnik Armenia’s Abovyan Time, Balasanyan voiced scepticism about France’s capacity to play a decisive role in safeguarding Armenia, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

“France, after its humiliating retreat from Africa, is hardly fit to be Armenia’s ‘saviour.’ If a crisis arises, neither the French Legion nor any other force will step in to fight for Armenia. At best, they might send a few armoured vehicles and Caesar self-propelled artillery guns,” he remarked.

Balasanyan emphasized the potential of bolstering military-technical ties with Russia, saying effective collaboration could yield significant benefits for Armenia’s defence capabilities.

The comments come in the wake of Armenian Defence Minister Suren Papikyan’s meeting with French Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu. The two discussed strengthening bilateral defence cooperation, with Papikyan highlighting the importance of implementing existing agreements and exploring new avenues of collaboration.

Lecornu reaffirmed France’s commitment to deepening ties, describing the partnership as grounded in “long-term and institutional principles.”

By Tamilla Hasanova