On May 8, Russian border guards withdrew from certain regions of Armenia following an agreement reached between Armenia and Russia in Moscow. President Putin’s spokesperson confirmed the withdrawal, stating that the decision was made in response to concerns raised by Armenia about the presence of Russian troops along its borders.
Armenia’s relationship with Russia has been strained in recent years, particularly since Azerbaijan’s attack on its territory in September 2022. Despite calls for condemnation of the attack by the CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organization), the alliance has not taken a clear stance and has not recognized the territorial gains made by Azerbaijan. This has led to tension between Armenia and Russia, with Armenia rejecting proposals to deploy CSTO observers along its border and Prime Minister Pashinyan stating that participation in the bloc was effectively frozen.
In response to these developments, Russia summoned its Ambassador to Armenia, Sergey Kopirkin, to Moscow for consultations on May 24. The specifics of their discussions were not disclosed, but it is clear that tensions between the two countries remain high. With both sides continuing to hold opposing views on key issues related to security and sovereignty, it remains uncertain what the future holds for their relationship.
