Russian FM jokes about EU team in talks with Armenian delegation “Have they not arrived yet?”

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, during a meeting with an Armenian delegation in Moscow, jokingly asked whether the group had arrived from the EU’s “hybrid threats counteraction” mission.

Earlier, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, had announced the deployment of a group to counter hybrid threats ahead of elections, Caliber.Az reports via Armenian media.

At the time of Lavrov’s remark, the delegation was awaiting the start of the public part of talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said he did not understand what was being referred to. Part of Lavrov’s remark was covered in Russian media, but the Armenian side’s response was not published.

Previously, on April 1, Pashinyan and Putin discussed economic cooperation, Armenia’s relations with the EU, parliamentary elections, and the settlement process with Azerbaijan.

On April 10, Armenia’s Central Election Commission head Vahagn Hovakimyan reported a meeting with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kopyrkin, noting cooperation with international partners, including the head of Russia’s Central Election Commission, Ella Pamfilova, and preparations for observer missions for the elections.

By Aghakazim Guliyev