Yerevan accused of "betraying" Russia during military operations
Konstantin Zatulin, Director of the Institute of CIS Countries and a State Duma deputy, has said he disagrees with the view that Russia and Armenia share equal responsibility for the deterioration of relations between the two countries, Moskovsky Komsomolets reports.
"I have repeatedly criticized Russia's actions, or lack thereof, toward Armenia, particularly in connection with the events of 2020. I still believe that we failed to use every available opportunity to prevent a war that resulted in a national tragedy: the loss of Nagorno-Karabakh and the mass displacement of its entire Armenian population from their ancestral homeland. For me, this is a personal tragedy, especially since my friends and partners, who were effectively taken captive, are now imprisoned and have been convicted by an Azerbaijani court," the deputy said.
However, he argued that this does not mean responsibility for the deterioration of Russian-Armenian relations should be attributed equally to both sides. According to Zatulin, the Armenian prime minister did not adopt his current political course by chance or simply in response to the events of 2020.
"This is a deliberate course pursued by a politician who has built his entire career around undermining relations with Russia and moving closer to Europe or the United States—in other words, reorienting Armenia and abandoning its entire historical and national heritage," Zatulin said.
According to the deputy, the only positive aspect of the situation is that there is now complete clarity in Russia, at both the expert and official levels, regarding relations with Pashinyan's government and the steps Moscow should take in response.
Zatulin described Yerevan's actions as "betrayal in wartime." He stressed that Russia would take decisions concerning Armenia based on what it considers necessary for its own economy and the development of the Eurasian Union. As for Pashinyan, Zatulin said, he would have to answer for his actions.
"To my profound regret, he is not the only one who will have to answer for them; all of Armenia will bear the consequences," the Director of the Institute of CIS Countries concluded.
