Thousands of protesters gathered in Yerevan to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan over the decision to hand over control of border villages to Azerbaijan. This decision came after Azerbaijan waged a military campaign in Nagorno-Karabakh, causing tens of thousands of people to flee into Armenia. Protesters, led by a senior cleric in the Armenian church, walked from border villages to Yerevan and gathered in Republic Square, waving Armenian flags and calling for Pashinyan to step down.
Pashinyan visited Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin amid strained ties between the two countries due to the recent conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. The removal of Russian forces from some Armenian regions was agreed upon during the meeting. Pashinyan acknowledged that certain issues had accumulated since his last visit to Moscow in December. Armenia’s relationship with Russia, its longtime sponsor and ally, has been strained as Pashinyan has sought to strengthen ties with the West and distance the country from Moscow-dominated alliances.
Armenian authorities accused Russian peacekeepers of failing to stop Azerbaijan’s military campaign in Nagorno-Karabakh, leading to tensions between Armenia and Russia. Moscow, which has a military base in Armenia, denied the accusations and stated that its troops did not have the mandate to intervene. Armenia suspended its participation in the Russia-dominated Collective Security Treaty Organization and joined the International Criminal Court, indicting Putin for alleged war crimes in Ukraine. Russia has expressed concern about Armenia’s shift towards the West but has indicated a willingness to continue dialogue.
While in Moscow, Pashinyan and Putin discussed bilateral trade and security issues in the region. Putin acknowledged that there were issues concerning security in the region, referencing the recent conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. Pashinyan’s visit to Moscow came as tensions between the two countries were heightened following the military campaign in Nagorno-Karabakh. The Kremlin has been displeased with Pashinyan’s efforts to deepen ties with the West and move away from Moscow-dominated alliances.
Armenians have expressed anger over the loss of territory to Azerbaijan and blame Pashinyan for the situation. Protesters in Yerevan called for the prime minister’s resignation, with a senior cleric giving him one hour to step down. The protesters vowed to engage in peaceful acts of disobedience if their demands were not met. Pashinyan’s decision to return control of border villages to Azerbaijan has sparked outrage among Armenians and raised concerns about the country’s future relationship with both Russia and the West.
