Russian official: Pashinyan’s Armenian-language SCO speech “strange”

The Kremlin described Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s decision to deliver his speech in Armenian at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit as “strange,” while saying it did not view the move as a provocation.

Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov made the remarks in an interview with “Yunashev Live,” saying Pashinyan’s choice of language struck him as unexpected but did not appear intended to provoke anyone.

Ushakov suggested that the Armenian prime minister was aware that his remarks could be translated into other languages and therefore chose to speak in his native language.

He noted, however, that Pashinyan had not previously delivered speeches in Armenian at similar international meetings.

By Sabina Mammadli