Zatulin: Pashinyan and Simonyan have made numerous statements regarding various things, and neither side can trust them
The former hope of the Armenian authorities for a common position from the U.S. administration and the West was unfounded. Russia and the U.S. have begun to restore their relations, Konstantin Zatulin, First Deputy Chairman of the Committee of the State Duma for the CIS and Relations with Russian Nationals Abroad, told Svobodnaya Pressa.
According to Zatulin, in this situation, it is not very convenient for Pashinyan to engage in intrigues, at least with the U.S. As for France, which has always been more responsive to Armenia’s problems than any other Western country, Pashinyan has a different problem here. “He is positioning himself as a ‘prime minister of peace’ and is striving for the conclusion of a peace treaty with Azerbaijan. However, Paris has made very unpleasant statements regarding Azerbaijan. As a result, Pashinyan has begun to make friendly gestures toward Russia. He has already announced that he is going to Moscow for the 80th anniversary of Victory Day in Red Square,” Zatulin noted.
Nevertheless, the Russian deputy does not rush to trust Pashinyan and to assess his gestures. “It seems to me that the course of Pashinyan and Simonyan remains the same; they are doing their utmost to distance themselves from the post-Soviet space, hoping that this will yield results in the West. Given that the West is currently dealing with other issues, Pashinyan has decided to slow down,” Zatulin stated.
He noted that issues related to Ukraine are being addressed, and a rift has emerged between the U.S. and the U.K., as well as France. Now is not the time for Armenia, and Pashinyan understands this. Therefore, out of habit, he is turning to relations with Russia. However, Pashinyan and Simonyan have already made numerous statements regarding various things, resembling people who cannot be trusted by any side.
Regarding Armenian-Turkish relations, Zatulin noted that most Armenians perceive Turks as a hostile people. Pashinyan, for his part, is trying to turn the page. He has rejected the pan-Armenian demand to recognize the Genocide.
