Lavrov says Armenian Church tensions and Vardan Ghukasyan’s arrest spark concern

Russia is watching with concern the situation about the Armenian Apostolic Church, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said during a 2025 press conference summarizing Russia’s diplomatic activities, TASS reports.

Regarding Armenia’s statements about the presence of hybrid threats in relation to the Church, Lavrov said that Russia views them with confusion.

“This can only cause us some confusion,” he noted.

Lavrov added that the arrest of Gyumri Mayor Vardan Ghukasyan has also caused puzzlement and concern, particularly in light of statements about the necessity of a union with Russia.

“He is accused of calling for discussions on Armenia joining the Russia-Belarus Union. Arresting someone for expressing political opinions, which in no way threaten Armenia’s sovereignty or territorial integrity but rather aim to maximize foreign relations for national development, naturally causes serious confusion and concern,” Lavrov said.