Zatulin: The Armenian authorities want to use Russia to finance their transition from one camp to another.

ArmInfo. Armenian authorities want to exploit the Russian Federation and deceive Russia and other allies in the Eurasian Economic Union in order to benefit from privileged economic ties and finance Armenia's transition from one camp to another, according to Konstantin Zatulin, Director of the CIS Institute and State Duma Deputy.

During his speech at the international roundtable "Prospects for the Further Development of Russian-Armenian Relations," At the Institute of CIS Countries in Moscow, Zatulin stated that he disagrees with the view that both Russia and Armenia are to blame for the deterioration of Russian-Armenian relations.

"I have repeatedly criticized our actions or inactions regarding Armenia, especially in connection with the events of 2020, and I still believe that we failed to utilize all opportunities to prevent a war that led to a national tragedy—the loss of Nagorno-Karabakh and the mass exodus of the Armenian population from their historical lands," the deputy noted.

He admitted that this is a personal tragedy for him, if only because his friends and partners, essentially captured, are now in prison and convicted by an Azerbaijani court.

"Nevertheless, this is no reason to believe that the blame for the deterioration of Russian-Armenian relations lies equally with both the Armenian and Russian sides." "Because the head of the Armenian government didn't take his current political course by chance or under the influence of the events of 2020. This is the deliberate path of a politician who has built his entire career on the desire to destroy relations with Russia and move somewhere closer to Europe or America—or at least to change Armenia's orientation and renounce its entire Armenian past," Zatulin stated, according to Moskovsky Komsomolets.

The only positive aspect of all this, according to the deputy, is that today in Russia, at all levels—both expert and official—there is complete certainty and clarity regarding relations with the Pashinyan government and the resulting actions of the Russian Federation.

"The Armenian authorities want to exploit the Russian Federation, deceive Russia and other allies in the Eurasian Economic Union, in order to, by benefiting from privileged economic ties, finance Armenia's transition from one camp to another." But if earlier, before all the events related to Ukraine and the special military operation, we might have considered NATO and the European Union to be different, today it's clear that the EU is our adversary, our enemy. EU countries are competing in their desire to inflict as much damage on Russia as possible, to kill as many people, and to destroy as much as possible on Russian territory. In this situation, the desire of Pashinyan and the obedient majority of parliamentarians to begin joining the European Union and to pass a law to that effect is being positioned quite clearly by the Army leadership. They are planning to join the camp of our enemy, yet they cling to certain clauses in the Charter that say that Armenia's membership in the Eurasian Union cannot be suspended; this is not provided for in the documents. "But can membership in the Collective Security Treaty Organization be suspended?" he asked.

Zatulin called Yerevan's behavior "betrayal during military operations." "Can you imagine how Russia perceives the fact that Armenia is going from being a friend to an enemy at a time when European Union countries are killing our people at the hands of Ukrainians?" the MP said. "We are waging a war. We are waging a war, and we ask that a country that is still officially our ally appreciate this circumstance." Zatulin emphasized that Russia will pursue decisions regarding Armenia that it deems necessary for its own economy and for the development of the Eurasian Union. But at the same time, it will do everything possible to develop cultural ties with Armenia. As for Pashinyan, he will be held accountable for his actions. Unfortunately, he is not alone in this responsibility; he is responsible together with all of Armenia," the Director of the CIS Institute concluded the discussion.