Russian spokesman says country notes Armenia's position on war in Ukraine

Moscow notes and takes into account Yerevan's position that Armenia is not Russia’s ally in the conflict in Ukraine, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on June 2.

"We take it into consideration, it is an important statement. We know that there are certain nuances in Armenia's approaches to the conflict around Ukraine, we take them into account, we know them," Peskov said, Caliber.Az reports, citing Armenian media.

Peskov made the remarks commenting on Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's statement that Yerevan is not Moscow's ally in the conflict in Ukraine and that the current situation is of concern to Yerevan during an interview with CNN Prima news, which was published on June 1.

"You said that Russia and I are allies. Of course, this has never been said out loud, but I think it is noticeable. In the war with Ukraine, we are not Russia's allies. And our perception of this war, this conflict, is a concern because it directly affects all our relations," Pashinyan said in the interview.

Peskov also stressed that Russia continues to develop its conceptually allied relations with Armenia.

Meanwhile, talking about Ukraine’s possible membership in NATO, Peskov said that the Russian Federation will seek to ensure its interests and security, which excludes the expansion of NATO, including Ukraine's admission to the alliance.

“Russia will seek to ensure its interests and its security. This excludes such an expansion of the alliance and its direct approach to our borders, including Ukraine's membership in NATO. Naturally, this is one of the main irritants of potential problems for many, many years. Many European countries, oddly enough, are well aware of this,” Peskov told reporters.

During the briefing, the press secretary also commented on the words of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who once again announced the country's desire to join the North Atlantic Alliance on June 1.

According to Dmitry Peskov, such statements indicate “the unpreparedness, unwillingness and inability of Kyiv to solve problems through negotiations”.