Pashinyan: Armenia wants to maintain ties with Russia

Armenia is not planning to remove Russia’s 102nd military base from the republic, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at the Polish Institute of International Affairs during his visit to Warsaw.

The Armenian head of government was asked if Yerevan had requested that Moscow withdraw its base.

"We have neither plans or programs nor concerns regarding the presence of the Russian 102nd military base [stationed in Gyumri] on Armenian soil. We maintain a close partnership with the Russian Federation – well-established economic and political ties," Nikol Pashinyan said.

He thanked Russia and noted that as a newly independent state in the early 1990s, Armenia did not have the capacity to provide such services.

"Today, we are building new relations with Russia. We are resolute and we would like to develop cooperation with Russia, but these relations are actually changing in a number of aspects," Nikol Pashinyan said.

The Armenian PM highlighted the decisive role of Russia and Russian President Vladimir Putin in November, 2020 ceasefire between Armenia and Azerbaijan. According to him, the ceasefire deal later transformed into the declaration signed between Yerevan and Baku in Washington.