Putin and Pashinyan Discuss Armenia’s Shift Towards the U.S.

On Monday, Russian leader Vladimir Putin spoke with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan about various topics, including Pashinyan’s recent visit to the United States.

During his trip to Washington, Pashinyan met with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev and signed a peace agreement facilitated by former President Donald Trump. The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan has roots in misaligned borders, a legacy of the Soviet Union’s collapse. Tensions peaked with Azerbaijan’s claims on Nagorno-Karabakh, an area historically inhabited by Christian Armenians, which witnessed significant ethnic cleansing in 2023.

This violence escalated following Russia’s ineffective enforcement of a peace deal brokered in 2020, which prompted Pashinyan to declare a severe rift in Armenia’s relationship with Moscow, pushing him to seek closer ties with the U.S.

Reports from Russian media highlighted the discussions between Putin and Pashinyan after the Armenian leaders returned from their meeting with U.S. officials. According to a Kremlin statement, Pashinyan informed Putin about the outcomes of the discussions in Washington.

Putin reportedly expressed an interest in facilitating the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, referencing his own discussions with Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkov. This conversation was characterized by Russia as “productive,” with broad implications for future engagement.

Pashinyan conveyed to Putin a particular concern regarding the peace agreement, arguing that it undermines previous efforts led by the OSCE Minsk Group to mediate the conflict. The Minsk Group was established in 1992 to address issues stemming from the Soviet Union’s dissolution.

The Armenian Prime Minister also remarked that the Trump-backed peace framework disrupts existing mechanisms meant to ensure regional stability and respect for national sovereignty. Notably, the Kremlin’s statement did not indicate any congratulations from Putin to Pashinyan on the peace agreement.

In addition, Trump announced U.S. support for a road project that would enhance connectivity between Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan exclave, which is surrounded by Armenian territory. Trump’s remarks emphasized commitments to peace, stating that both Armenia and Azerbaijan are committed to halting hostilities and fostering economic and diplomatic relations.

Trump mentioned American investors’ eagerness to fund reconstruction, provided that both nations refrain from conflict. He also affirmed a $2 million humanitarian aid commitment to Ukraine, further distancing the U.S. from Russia.

The potential for increased American influence in Armenia follows Russia’s failure to meet its security promises to Armenian allies during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The situation escalated in 2020 when Azerbaijan successfully seized territory, only to have a temporary ceasefire brokered by Russian peacekeepers. In late 2022, Azerbaijan’s military actions, which included blockades, severely affected the Armenian population, drawing accusations of genocide from human rights activists.

By 2023, the Armenian Christian community in Nagorno-Karabakh faced significant displacement, with estimates suggesting that over 80% of the population had left due to starvation and violence, largely unaddressed by Russian forces. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov had seemed indifferent regarding the responsibility for these actions.

Pashinyan subsequently accused Russia of abandoning Armenia when he declared the end of Armenia’s reliance on Moscow, signaling intentions to withdraw from the CSTO, a Russian-led security alliance, particularly after the CSTO did not act during the recent conflicts. His remarks reflected deep frustration with the Kremlin’s inaction amid the escalating violence.

In January, Armenia signed a strategic agreement with the U.S. covering defense and economic cooperation without officially exiting the CSTO.