"Strong Armenia": Armenia should not be an instrument of confrontation, but a platform for cooperation between international superpowers

ArmInfo. Armenia should not be an instrument of confrontation, but a platform for cooperation between international superpowers. This was stated by Tigran Abrahamyan, secretary of the Strong Armenia faction, at a parliamentary briefing on October 8, when asked what steps their political force intends to take amid deteriorating Russian-Armenian relations.

The secretary of the Strong Armenia faction noted that, first and foremost, it is necessary to understand who the negotiators are in this matter. "This is, as I have already noted, the current Armenian government. We have repeatedly stated that such situations—both in relations with Russia and with the European Union (EU) and the United States—arise because the current government, while attempting to pursue a supposedly balanced policy, has in fact built its entire foreign policy on contradictions. "Armenia should not be an instrument of confrontation, but a platform for cooperation between international superpowers," Abrahamyan emphasized.

That is, as the parliamentary faction secretary reiterated, full responsibility for what is happening lies with the current government, since it is the negotiator. In this regard, he also recalled Pashinyan's statements that "relations between Armenia and Russia are at the highest level, and Russian President Vladimir Putin is his friend." "As for our position, we regretfully note that Armenian citizens are suffering as a result of their policies," Abrahamyan added.

In turn, another MP from the Strong Armenia faction, Irina Yolyan, noted that this is precisely why their political force has always spoken about the need to pursue a balanced policy. "We must be able to build relations with all our neighbors in such a way as to not end up in a dilemma." "If there are political differences or security issues between the two countries (Russia and Ukraine - ed.), it is necessary to ensure that Armenia does not become an instrument of confrontation between these countries," Yolyan emphasized.

All of this, she said, requires strong diplomatic efforts, in which the negotiator must conduct negotiations based on Armenia's interests and its security. "If the negotiator is unable to build a balanced relationship, then we see the threats this leads to for the country. After this, attempts are made to find someone to blame and shift the blame," the MP concluded.

As a reminder, since April, Russia has introduced gradual restrictions on the import of Armenian agricultural products. The official reason cited was sanitary and phytosanitary violations and a lack of safety oversight by authorized Armenian agencies. The real reason for the restrictions, however, is the overt anti-Russian actions of the Armenian leadership against the backdrop of Yerevan's course toward rapprochement with the European Union. These "sanctions" have already led to a reduction in trade turnover: in the first five months of 2026, mutual trade volumes between Armenia and Russia fell by 21.5% compared to the same period last year. Difficulties have arisen in agricultural exports: due to the blockage of supplies during the summer peak season, exports of Armenian fruits, vegetables, and flowers showed a sharp drop of 74.5%. According to experts, financial losses to businesses amount to tens of millions of dollars, creating the threat of mass bankruptcy for hundreds of greenhouse and farm enterprises.