Armenia, recognizing serious security challenges, is moving forward, trying to find a balance – Alen Simonyan

ArmInfo. Armenian Parliament Speaker Alen Simonyan believes that given Armenia's location and the challenges it faces, it is currently moving forward and trying to find a balance. In an interview with Ekaterina Kotrikadze, head of the news service and anchor for the Dozhd TV channel, which is opposed to the Russian government and is based in exile, Simonyan noted that the Armenian leadership does not consider it appropriate to discuss the presence of the 102nd Russian military base in Armenia.

"We found it appropriate to ask our Russian colleagues to leave the airport and several locations where they were defending the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. As soon as, or if we deem it appropriate, we will begin discussing this (the military base – Ed.). But at the moment, we are not discussing it," - the Armenian Parliament Speaker said.

"Let's look at a map to see where Armenia is and what challenges it faces. I'm not saying a Russian military base is a 100% guarantee of everything possible, but at the same time, in our region, especially in the current situation, escalating tensions and taking drastic steps is wrong. This may sound good (for the Dozhd audience – Ed.), but in Realpolitik it's not so," Simonyan emphasized.

Simonyan also parried Kotrikadze's somewhat provocative question about the possibility of a Ukrainian scenario for Armenia if the country's leadership "makes drastic moves": is there a Russian military threat to Armenia? "I don't know. And who can guarantee our country otherwise? You mentioned Ukraine, we're all talking about the war in Ukraine, and please tell me, let's say some country—let's not call it Russia, country X—attacks Armenia, what will the world, the civilized world, do? Nothing, nothing, just statements. We understand this as we move forward and try to find a balance," Simonyan concluded.

Meanwhile, Simonyan emphasized that he sees Armenia as a future member of the European Union. "We believe that these are the values ​​we share. Legislation, food quality, human rights, freedoms—these are what we We are proud. This is our important acquisition since 2018. He acknowledged that this will not be in the near future, but "given what's happening in the world, we want it to happen as quickly as possible. "Because for us, this is also a security system, because the CSTO itself turned out to be not the security system we previously thought," said Alen Simonyan. "We have elections soon, and the issue of aspirations for EU membership and the issue of peace in our region will be put to the vote. There are two options: the 'party of peace,' a party promoting universal values, human rights, and freedom of speech, and the 'party of war,' a dependence on centers, on global moderators. But as an informed person, I know that we have closed the peace issue and must conclude it with the 2026 elections, the signing of a final peace treaty, and its ratification. And I am confident of our victory. This chapter has been closed, as polls show, in the minds of Armenian society," the head of the Armenian parliament emphasized.