Moscow:

Russia and its long-term former Soviet ally Armenia are drifting apart due to a series of defence commitments remaining unfulfilled by Moscow due to the war in Ukraine. While Russia has acknowledged this, Moscow has cautioned Yerevan – Armenia’s capital – of its closeness to countries Moscow considers hostile.

Armenia, a West Asian land-locked country, sandwiched between rivals Azerbaijan and Turkey, has for decades relied on Russia to supply weapons. The country has been in conflict with arch-rival Azerbaijan over the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. Its hostile western neighbour Turkey, fully backs Azerbaijan, a Muslim-majority State, while a vast majority in Armenia are Christians.

LOSING ITS GRIP OVER ASIA?

Stretched over its three-year war with Ukraine, Russia has been unable to come to the aid of its regional allies. First it lost an ally in Syria, with Bashar Assad’s regime collapsing to the civil war fuelled by West-backed rebels. Last week, Donald Trump backed Syria’s new President – a former Al Qaeda terrorist, who led the rebels and ensured Assad’s fall. Turkey, a NATO ally, and Saudi Arabia, US’ Middle East ally stepped in too. Syria, which was ruled by the Assad family for more than five decades, was a strategic stronghold for Moscow.

Russia is now unable to supply the weapons Armenia needs for its security. Even weapon orders Armenia has already paid for, remain unfulfilled. This has led Yerevan to explore other options.

In recent years, Armenia has turned to France and India for a lot of its arms purchases. While supplies from a friendly country like India meets Russia’s approval, a growing relationship between Armenia and France is a red flag for Moscow.

‘FIGHTING ALL OF EUROPE’

Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov held a joint press conference with his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan on Wednesday, where he acknowledged contractual delays on Moscow’s part. Mr Lavrov said that some orders have also been reassigned. He blamed this situation on the what he described as an existential confrontation with the collective West.

“We are currently in a situation where, as has happened throughout history, we are forced to fight all of Europe,” Mr Lavrov said, accusing European nations of backing Ukraine “under Nazi slogans”. He added that “Our Armenian friends understand that in such conditions we cannot fulfil all our obligations on time.”

CAUTION OVER ARMENIA’S FRENCH CONNECTION

Cautioning Armenia over its growing defence ties with France, Mr Lavrov said, while Moscow does not oppose Yerevan buying arms from other countries, its dependence on the West has raised concerns in Russia over Armenia’s long-term strategic direction. “When an ally turns to a country like France, which leads the hostile camp and whose President and ministers speak openly with hatred toward Russia, it does raise questions,” he said.

Armenia’s Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan (R) and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov (L) met in Yerevan

Mr Lavrov’s remark assumes significance not just because of Moscow’s inability to supply weapons, but also because its traditional ties with Yerevan has been deteriorating fast. Though Armenia remains officially allied to Russia, its rapidly-growing ties with the collective West has been a big cause of worry for Moscow.

ARMENIA UPSET WITH RUSSIA

In recent times, Armenia has even acted against Russian interest, when it effectively stopped its participation in the Collective Security Treaty Organisation or CSTO, a Russian-led security umbrella of ex-Soviet countries.

Armenia is also furious over the outcome in Karabakh arising out of a lack of Russian support. Yerevan has accused Moscow’s peacekeepers of failing to protect over 100,000 ethnic Armenians who fled the region of Karabakh after Azerbaijan’s sudden military operation and takeover of the territory in 2023.