Russia Recalls Ambassador to Armenia as EU Ties Deepen Before Key Election
Russia-Armenia Relations and Shifting Alliances
Ambassador Recalled Amid Growing EU Rapprochement
MOSCOW, May 30 (Reuters) - Russia said on Saturday it had recalled its ambassador to Armenia for consultations in protest at its rapprochement with the European Union as a June 7 election nears.
Armenia’s Westward Shift Despite Economic Dependence
Formally allied to Russia, the Caucasus nation of around 3 million people has been deepening ties with the West in recent years despite its economic dependence on Moscow.
Official Statement from Russian Foreign Ministry
"The Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Armenia, S.P. Kopyrkin, has been recalled to Moscow for consultations in connection with steps taken by the Armenian leadership toward rapprochement with the European Union," Russia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement about envoy Sergei Kopyrkin.
Potential Suspension from Russian-led Economic Union
A Russian-led economic union of former Soviet republics also said on Friday it would consider suspending Armenia for seeking EU membership and called on Yerevan to hold a referendum.
Political Landscape Ahead of the June Election
Opinion polls for the June election show pro-Western Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's party running ahead of the pro-Russian opposition.
International Endorsements and Recent Political History
U.S. President Donald Trump has endorsed Pashinyan, who swept to power in a 2018 revolution and was re-elected in 2021.
Security Concerns and Regional Tensions
Armenia says Russia failed to protect it during fighting with neighbouring Azerbaijan, with which it was long at odds over Nagorno-Karabakh, a formerly breakaway region that had an ethnic Armenian population which Azerbaijan retook in 2023.
Russia’s Accusations Against Western Influence
Russia says Western countries are meddling in Armenia in order to weaken Russian influence in the former Soviet Union.
Official Responses and Reporting
There was no immediate response from Armenia to the Russian envoy's recall.
(Reporting by Reuters, Writing by Felix Light, Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
