Speaker Simonyan: Russia “abandoned” Armenia during 2020 war

Armenian National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan has stated that Russia effectively “abandoned” Armenia during the 2020 war.

Responding to a question about the potential deterioration of Armenian-Russian relations following the European Political Community summit in Yerevan, Simonyan asked whether Armenia should constantly look back to see if Russia is displeased while pursuing its own interests, Caliber.Az reports per Armenian media.

“I believe that is wrong,” he said, adding that when Russia pursues its own interests, it does not take Armenia’s into account.

According to Simonyan, Armenia is simply ensuring its own interests and security. “When we were at war with Azerbaijan, Russia was selling weapons to Azerbaijan and maintaining allied relations with it, while speaking about the independence of states. Should Armenia remain a servant? Be told whom to greet and whom not to? And if it greets or hosts someone, should there be resentment? How is that right?” he said.

Addressing concerns about Armenia’s growing economic dependence on Russia, Simonyan said he did not want to speak harshly, but questioned the meaning of dependence: whether it implies living “on one’s knees” under the control of Russia, France, or any other country, without free elections or independent media, or striving to be the master of one’s own small country without wars or hostility. He stressed that Armenia should not replace one “big brother” with another or give up its freedoms, describing it as a matter of choice.

Simonyan also argued that in the past, Armenia had been “on its knees,” claiming presidential elections were rigged, with congratulatory messages from Moscow arriving even before official results were announced.

He alleged that key appointments were coordinated with Russia and that much of the country’s political environment was shaped in consultation with it. “Is that political independence? There was no independence before 2018,” Simonyan said.

By Jeyhun Aghazada