ArmInfo. Moscow is gradually starting to consider Armenia as a partner, ally, rather than a colony. In any case, precisely such trends have been observed over the past year. Former lawmaker of the Armenian parliament, expert on foreign policy issues Azat Arshakyan expressed a similar opinion to ArmInfo.
"In the Armenian-Russian relations, the process of clarification is underway today, the essence of which, in my opinion, is the gradual abandonment of Russia's colonist status with regard to Armenia. This is the result of a change of power in our country. Moscow agreed with the expulsion of its proteges from power and now we should seek economic freedom from Russia, "he said.
Arshakyan connects such expectations with the international situation, Russia's actual isolation and the sanctions regime. In the expert's opinion, this situation forces Moscow to seek for allies. In order to gain allies Russia, according to his estimates, needs to abandon the previous approaches in relation to neighboring and other countries.
According to the expert, in this light, the process of adjusting the Armenian-Russian relations in the direction of changing the status of Armenia from a Russian colony to a partner country will continue. Arshakyan considers the October visit of the President of Russia to Armenia as part of this process, although he does not consider that Vladimir Putin was its initiator. According to him, Putin's recognition of Armenia's sovereignty even at the existing level is the result of the enforcement of the civilized world rather than his own desire. "Of course, this enforcement is not conditioned or addressed only to Armenia. Sanctions against Russia, its international isolation are part of the general process, the policy of the collective West in relation to a country that violates international treaties. We must understand that the same exchange of prisoners in Ukraine has also become a forced humanitarian act imposed on Moscow by Europe and the USA. Accordingly, we should expect similar trends in the attitude of Russia towards Armenia, "Arshakyan summed up.