MOSCOW, May 7 – The Russian Foreign Ministry accused Armenia on Thursday of being pulled into what Moscow characterizes as the European Union’s sphere of influence that opposes Russian interests.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova’s remarks highlight the deteriorating relationship between the two nations, who were once strong allies, following Armenian criticism that Russia failed to defend it against neighboring Azerbaijan.
During a press briefing, Zakharova stated that Armenia’s government is allowing the country to embrace what she termed “aggressive Euro-Atlantic standards.”
“Such a course will inevitably lead to negative political and economic consequences for Armenia,” she said in a briefing.
In recent years, Armenia has worked to strengthen its relationship with the European Union, most recently by hosting the European Political Community summit in its capital Yerevan on May 4, followed by an EU-Armenia summit that brought over 40 European leaders to the city.
The relationship between Moscow and Armenia, which houses several Russian military installations, has deteriorated significantly since Azerbaijan used military force to reclaim the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region in September 2023, despite Russian peacekeeping forces being stationed in the area.
