Armenia needs to balance and restrain Turkey's influence, which is impossible without Russia. The second president of Armenia and the candidate for prime minister from the "Hayastan [(Armenia)]" bloc, Robert Kocharyan, announced this during a parliamentary election campaign meeting with the residents of Vayk town

The politician recalled simple truths: Armenia's foreign policy primarily serves its security and economic interests. He also noted that Iran, Turkey, and Russia have been competing for influence in this region for several hundred years.

"Russia is the only country that can neutralize Turkey's influence. Armenia needs to balance and restrain Turkey's influence, which is impossible without Russia. There is no other country in the world that is capable of this. Meanwhile, Armenia’s authorities are doing everything to spoil relations with Russia," Kocharyan noted.

He noted that Russia is Armenia's main economic partner also, the well-being of 80 percent of the Armenia's population directly depends on these relations, this is a fact that cannot be escaped, while the Armenian authorities are consistently worsening relations with Russia.

"Ever since the declaration of [Armenia’s] independence [in 1991], I do not remember such harsh statements [regarding Armenia] by Russian officials. The head of the [Russian] Security Council, a meeting with the president... They directly say there, first in diplomatic language, then openly [to Armenia]: ‘come to your senses, there will be problems, don't do that.’ I have been saying for 2-3 months now: ‘don't do it, the people [of Armenia] will pay for it.’ Was it necessary for [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelenskyy to make such statements from here [in Armenia]? That man destroyed his own country. It seemed that after such harsh statements [from Russia], the [Armenian] authorities should have stopped. But they talk about the desire to have good relations [with Russia] and at the same time take steps in the opposite direction," Kocharyan detailed.

As a fresh example, he pointed to Armenia’s signing of a document on strategic partnership with Lithuania. As per Kocharyan, everything would be fine if there were not one circumstance: the Lithuanian foreign minister had announced that NATO should attack Kaliningrad, which is Russian territory.

“It will not work to sit on two chairs. If relations with Lithuania are more important to you than relations with Russia, then sell the tomatoes and flowers in Lithuania, and let Lithuania become a counterweight in the South Caucasus. Do you really think so? Why are you constantly provoking?” the politician asked, addressing the Armenian authorities.

Also, Robert Kocharyan categorically warned against reckless steps that could drag Armenia into the vortex of a clash of interests between superpowers.

“The course must be changed, but they [i.e. Pashinyan and his team] are not able to do this. So, those in power [in Armenia] must be changed. The problems will be solved when these people are removed [from power in Armenia],” Kocharyan concluded.

Source: https://news.am/en/news/1038209