Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Yerevan would not object if Russia decided to withdraw its 102nd Military Base from Gyumri, arguing that the facility no longer plays a vital role in Armenia’s security.
Speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, Pashinyan stressed that Armenia had never initiated discussions with Moscow about removing the Russian military presence.
“We have never put the issue of the Russian military base operating in Armenia on the agenda,” he said, adding that Moscow had now raised the possibility itself.
“If they want to withdraw it, let them withdraw it,” Pashinyan said.
He argued that events in September 2022 demonstrated that the Russian base had “no vital significance” for Armenia’s security and said Yerevan would not stand in Moscow’s way if it chose to leave.
“The 102nd Military Base adds nothing to Armenia’s security,” he said, while adding that Yerevan was also prepared to discuss its continued presence if Russia wanted to remain.
The comments follow remarks by Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this month that Moscow was prepared to withdraw its forces if Armenia no longer wanted them.
“If Armenia believes that the Russian military base is not needed in Armenia, we will leave even tomorrow,” Putin told reporters following the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Bishkek on 2 September. He added that Russia was also prepared to maintain its presence if Armenia wanted continued military cooperation.
Russia’s 102nd Military Base has been stationed in Gyumri since 1995. An agreement subsequently extended the deployment until 2044.
Pashinyan has repeatedly stressed that Armenia itself has not requested the base’s withdrawal. He told parliament on Wednesday that neither he nor any Armenian official had raised the issue with Putin or other senior Russian officials.
The exchange comes as Armenia seeks what Pashinyan describes as a more balanced foreign policy after years of close security ties with Moscow.
Pashinyan also addressed Armenia’s strained relationship with the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization, saying Yerevan should not be threatened with removal from the alliance.
“If they want to remove us, let them,” he said.
Ukraine has almost run out of Patriot interceptor missiles, leaving the country vulnerable to Russian ballistic missile attacks, U.S. newspaper The...
The U.S. has banned government employees working in Saudi Arabia from using airports in the country without special authorisation. It com...
France is preparing for a fresh wave of nationwide demonstrations this weekend as rising living costs, educatio...
Yemen’s Houthis have claimed responsibility for the recent drone and missile strikes on Saudi Aramco facilities in Dhahran and Riyadh and at King Khalid International Airport in Saudi Arabia, vowing to carry out more attacks in the coming days.
The Saudi-led coalition said early Thursday that it intercepted and destroyed a drone over Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province.
Ukraine's soldiers have had their access to Starlink satellite internet restricted. Kyiv's troops use the terminals, made by Elon Musk's SpaceX, to pilot drones. A source in Ukraine's Defence Ministry said the restrictions would make it harder for Kyiv's army to down Russian drones.
Ukraine is set to restart attacks on Russian oil refineries following a two-day pause, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, amid growing tensions with Washington over energy strikes and U.S. military support.
Kenya has confirmed a second case of Ebola, intensifying efforts to prevent the spread of the virus after the country recorded its first-ever infection earlier this month.
The U.S. has banned government employees working in Saudi Arabia from using airports in the country without special authorisation. It comes after a deadly Houthi strike on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport killed at least 13 people last week.
The Saudi-led coalition said early Thursday that it intercepted and destroyed a drone over Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province.
Türkiye says talks with Washington are continuing over six F-35 fighter jets it purchased but never received, as Ankara pushes for the lifting of U.S. sanctions on its defence industry.
Uzbekistan's freight volumes along the Middle Corridor have doubled in five years, highlighting the growing importance of Azerbaijan and the Port of Baku as key links in its trade routes to Europe.
Kazakhstan is considering new rules governing the use of artificial intelligence in newsrooms, including requirements to label AI-generated content. The proposal was discussed at the tenth Astana Media Week, which also focused on digital threats and children's online safety.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment