Yerevan free to chart its own course, top lawmaker declares

Armenia is free to determine its own foreign policy course, Armenian Parliament Speaker Ruben Rubinyan said, amid ongoing tensions between Yerevan and Moscow.

Rubinyan emphasized that Armenia would continue to exercise its right to make independent decisions, Caliber.Az reports, citing Armenian media.

“We knew one way or another that Yerevan was free in its choice, and going forward, Yerevan will always be free in implementing its choice,” he said.

Rubinyan also rejected suggestions that Armenia is taking steps aimed at worsening relations with Russia, stressing that Yerevan remains committed to maintaining good-neighborly ties.

“On the contrary, we have done and continue to do everything to preserve good-neighborly relations,” he said.

At the same time, Rubinyan criticized restrictions imposed on Armenian businesses, arguing that they contradict both the principles of Armenian-Russian relations and the rules of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).

“Unfair and unjustified restrictions against Armenian businesses are inconsistent with either the spirit of Armenian-Russian relations or the rules of the EAEU,” he stated.

His remarks come after Russian State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin accused Yerevan of pursuing a “cynical and deceitful” policy, claiming that Armenia benefits from EAEU preferences while simultaneously seeking closer integration with the European Union.

By Vafa Guliyeva