Russian authorities sharply criticized Armenia following a visit to Yerevan by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The Kremlin said Armenia had provided Zelensky with a platform for what Moscow called anti-Russian statements. Russian officials were particularly angered by Zelensky’s remarks about security surrounding the May 9 parade and the threat posed by Ukrainian drones.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry summoned Armenia’s representative and said it was unacceptable for the country to become a platform for policies directed against Russia.
The episode was another sign of deteriorating Russian-Armenian relations. Since Azerbaijan restored control over Nagorno-Karabakh in 2023, Yerevan has steadily distanced itself from Moscow and expanded cooperation with the European Union.
Russia traditionally regarded Armenia as one of its closest allies in the South Caucasus. Yerevan’s reorientation represents a significant foreign-policy setback for the Kremlin, especially during Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Zelensky’s visit and the resulting diplomatic confrontation showed that Armenia was increasingly willing to act outside the foreign-policy constraints Moscow once expected it to observe.