By Elen Muradyan
Armenia’s second President Robert Kocharyan has called for the restoration of strategic ties with Russia, warning that the country cannot ensure its own security without deeper regional partnerships. His remarks came during a multi-outlet interview released Monday.
“Armenia is not currently capable of securing its safety in the region independently,” Kocharyan stated, arguing that Yerevan must focus on strengthening its armed forces while building relationships that compensate for the country’s vulnerabilities. “First and foremost, we need to build a more organized army and establish relations with geopolitical partners that can address the gaps in our defense,” he said, emphasizing that restoring ties with Moscow should be a priority.
Calling Western security guarantees illusory, Kocharyan dismissed the notion that Europe could play a meaningful role in Armenia’s defense. “To think that Europe can solve any of Armenia’s security issues is naive, even childish,” he remarked. According to him, only three countries wield real influence in the South Caucasus- Russia, Turkey, and Iran- and among them, Russia remains Armenia’s closest partner in terms of historical, economic, and cultural ties.
“We must restore our strategic partnership with Russia and also involve Iran,” Kocharyan continued. “Adding an Iranian dimension to Armenian-Russian relations could lead to a viable trilateral format.”
Kocharian also addressed discussions about Armenia potentially joining the Russia-Belarus Union State, dismissing as unfounded the accusations that he seeks to return to power in order to integrate Armenia into that bloc. “During my presidency, there was never any conversation with Russian presidents about Armenia becoming part of the Union State. Nor did the President of Belarus ever raise the issue,” he said.
Kocharyan accused Armenia’s current leadership of pushing false narratives about Russia and manipulating public perception. “They are using the entire propaganda apparatus to spread anti-Russian sentiment and distrust toward Russia,” he claimed.
His remarks come amid widespread public frustration over Russia’s failure to support Armenia militarily during multiple post-2020 war escalations with Azerbaijan. In particular, Kocharyan referenced the September 2022 Azerbaijani offensive on sovereign Armenian territory, during which neither Russia nor the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), of which Armenia is a founding member, offered political or military assistance. That assault resulted in the deaths of more than 230 Armenian soldiers and the occupation of Armenian territory.
Following the attack, Armenia and Azerbaijan signed a joint declaration in Prague under the EU auspices on October 6, 2022, formally recognizing each other’s territorial integrity, effectively acknowledging Nagorno-Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan.
“We acted like the aggrieved party, but it’s Russia that should have been offended after we nullified its role as a mediator by signing the Prague statement. Then we turned around and asked Russia to mediate,” Kocharyan said. In his view, Armenia’s territorial disputes with Azerbaijan should have been addressed through Armenian-Russian relations, not the CSTO framework.
“You ruin relations with the leading power in the CSTO and then complain that the CSTO didn’t help you,” he added.
Kocharyan concluded by warning against deepening integration with the European Union. “If sovereignty is Armenia’s top priority, then the farther you stay from the EU, the better,” he said, noting that EU mechanisms such as the European Commission give Brussels the power to punish, fine, or impose obligations on member states.
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