In full tension with Russia, Armenia announced on Wednesday September 6 to host joint military exercises next week with the United States involving their peacekeeping forces. This is yet another sign of Yerevan’s efforts to distance itself from its traditional Russian ally.
The Armenians blame Moscow and its peacekeepers for not accomplishing their mission, by letting Azerbaijan block a key route to supply Nagorno-Karabakh, territory that the two countries have been fighting over for decades.
The “Eagle Partner 2023” maneuvers announced by the Armenian Defense Ministry on Wednesday are to take place from September 11 to 20 at the Zar training center. They aim to “raise the interoperational level” US and Armenian forces participating in peacekeeping operations.
Their outfit comes days after Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan accused Russia of being either “unable to maintain control over the Lachin Corridor, either because he does not have the will”.
This land route linking Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh has supposedly been secured by a Russian peacekeeping force since the end of the war with Azerbaijan in 2020. But for months it has been de facto blocked by the Azerbaijani side, leading to shortages in the region.
Moscow Vigilance
The Kremlin strongly criticized Mr. Pashinian’s remarks. And on Wednesday, he worried about the holding of the American-Armenian maneuvers. “Of course, this requires vigilance”said Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for President Vladimir Putin. And to add: “We will thoroughly analyze and monitor the situation. »
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, however, felt that Armenia was quite ” wise “ And “planning” so as not to fall within the sphere of influence of NATO, of which the United States is a member.
“We don’t impose anything on anyone. But naturally, we draw the attention of our partners to the fact that closer relations with NATO are unlikely to bring positive results for their own security.Galouzin told Russian state news agency TASS on Thursday.
Another novelty for Armenia, a traditional ally of Moscow in the Caucasus, Mr. Pashinian’s wife, was in Kiev on Wednesday to participate in a meeting of first ladies and first gentlemen organized by Volodymyr Zelensky’s wife on humanitarian issues.
Armed incidents regularly oppose Armenians and Azerbaijanis on the border, while the mediations organized sometimes by the EU, the United States or Russia do not succeed.
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Nagorno-Karabakh is a region of Azerbaijan populated mainly by Armenians which seceded, leading to a war in the 1990s and then another in 2020, won by Baku.