This article is part of a partnership with OC Media. You can read the original in English here.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has held a telephone conversation with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. This marked Pashinyan’s first official contact with a Russian official since the June elections, the results of which Russia has still not recognized.
In virtually identical statements released by Armenia and Russia, it was reported that Pashinyan and Mishustin discussed “issues on the agenda of Armenian-Russian cooperation related to trade, economic, scientific, technical, as well as cultural and humanitarian spheres.”
Russia, as noted, did not recognize the election results and did not congratulate Pashinyan on his victory, breaking with established practice typical of Armenia’s long-standing ally. Instead, a number of Russian officials called the elections “disputed,” claimed unprecedented Western interference in the voting, and reportedly instructed state media to present the outcome as a “defeat” for Pashinyan and to question his legitimacy.
Russian officials also called for downgrading the level of contact between Yerevan and Moscow.
Against this backdrop, Moscow reportedly covertly supported pro-Russian candidates in Armenia.
On the eve of the vote, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed interest in the participation of “pro-Russian” forces in the elections. However, despite their participation, they failed to defeat Pashinyan’s “Grazhdansky Dogovor” (Civil Contract) party.
Simultaneously, Russia introduced a number of restrictions on Armenian exports, which many viewed as economic pressure aimed at influencing the outcome of the elections. A few days before the vote, Moscow also recalled its ambassador to Armenia, Sergey Kopyrkin, for “consultations.” He returned to Yerevan after the elections.
Upon his return, at a reception marking Russia Day in Yerevan on 12 June, which was attended by high-ranking Armenian officials, Kopyrkin stated that Armenian-Russian relations had “entered a phase of reassessment and adaptation to changing global and regional realities.”
Russia calls Armenian elections “disputed”
Against the backdrop of ongoing tensions, Armenia is reportedly taking steps to de-escalate the situation.
Armenia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mnatsakan Safaryan stated that, at present, the issue of involving the Russian side in the “Tramp Route” project is not under discussion.
The “Tramp Route” is a joint project of Armenia and the US aimed at connecting the main territory of Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan exclave through Armenian territory. The initiative was announced at the Armenia–US–Azerbaijan summit in Washington in August 2025.
Safaryan noted that Armenia is a member of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), so the transit rules comply with the norms of this union.
These statements came in response to remarks by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, who said on Monday that transit through Armenian territory “must be carried out in accordance with the norms and rules” of the EAEU.
Galuzin, however, insisted on the necessity of Russia’s participation in the project, pointing out that the route passes through southern Armenia — an area patrolled by Russian border guards.
He also noted that Armenia’s railways are managed by a Russian company.
“Therefore, we believe that the project will only benefit from Russia’s participation,” Galuzin stated.
