In an interview with RTVI, Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan said he excludes the possibility of war breaking out again in the South Caucasus, stressing Armenia’s commitment to building normal relations with its neighbors.
“I am also confident, as Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan always says, that there will be peace in our region, in our relations with Azerbaijan. The same applies to Turkey,” Khachaturyan said.
Asked directly whether war is possible in the region, he replied negatively.
The president also noted that Armenia’s relationship with Russia has fundamentally changed: “Armenia has stopped being Russia’s ‘junior brother’.”
He explained: “Now relations with Russia are entirely different — truly partnership-based. Russia’s attitude toward Armenia is not about big or small, but simply about partnership. This is what we have sought over the past four years.”
According to Khachaturyan, Armenia wants its Russian partners to respect the government’s independent decisions: “The Armenian authorities work for the citizens of Armenia, for the well-being and prosperity of the Republic of Armenia. That is why the government must decide with whom and how to trade, cooperate, and maintain diplomatic relations.”
He acknowledged Armenia’s economic dependence on Russia but added that “Russia, in turn, is economically dependent on Armenia.”
Commenting on Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk’s statement that Armenia cannot “sit on two chairs” between the EU and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), Khachaturyan said Armenia’s economy is diversified: “That is a question for Overchuk — what does he mean? At least for now, no one has told us anything, and we are not violating anything.”
He confirmed that no problems have arisen so far.
In August, the Armenian and Azerbaijani delegations, led by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and President Ilham Aliyev, visited the United States, where they preliminarily signed a peace and interstate relations agreement.
The document states that Yerevan and Baku have no territorial claims against each other and pledge not to raise any in the future. Border delimitation and demarcation will be carried out. Both sides also agreed to refrain from the threat of force, restore diplomatic relations, and withdraw mutual cases filed in international courts.
