Pashinyan:  No plans to withdraw  102nd Russian military base from  Gyumri

ArmInfo. Armenia has no plans or concerns regarding the presence of the 102nd Russian  military base in Armenia. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan made this  statement during a meeting at the Polish Institute of International  Affairs, in response to a question about whether Yerevan would  approach Moscow regarding the closure of the Russian military base in  Gyumri.  

Pashinyan also emphasized the special role of Russia and the  Russian president in establishing a ceasefire with Azerbaijan in  November 2020.

According to Pashinyan, there have been significant changes in recent  years. Up until 2024, most of Armenia's border crossings were under  Russian control or had Russian border guards present, for instance,  at Zvartnots International Airport. However, all border crossings on  Armenia's borders are now controlled by Armenian border guards.

"Naturally, we are grateful to Russia. As a newly independent state,  we didn't have the capacity to provide such services in the early  1990s, but now we can, and we are developing our capabilities. We  have no plans, programs, or concerns regarding the presence of a  Russian military base. We are close partners with Russia, and we have  very close economic and political ties," the Armenian Prime Minister  emphasized.

At the same time, he noted that Armenia had frozen its participation  in the CSTO. "This is due to certain events  in 2022. Armenia was  disappointed with the CSTO, because, despite having legal  obligations, the CSTO failed to adequately respond to challenges to  Armenia's security. On the other hand, we say that relations between  Armenia and Russia are undergoing a transformational phase. We are  currently developing a new relationship with Russia. We are, of  course, determined and would like to develop our relations with  Russia, but it is clear that these relations are changing due to many  factors.

It is crucial to emphasize that in November 2020, Russia and the  Russian president played a decisive role in establishing a ceasefire  with Azerbaijan. Subsequently, there were some misinterpretations of  the document signed on November 8, but this agreement (on the  ceasefire) later evolved into a declaration (on peace) signed by  Yerevan and Baku in Washington," Nikol Pashinyan said.

The 102nd Russian military base is stationed in Armenia under a 1995  interstate agreement with Russia. Its personnel are on combat duty as  part of the unified CIS air defense system. Garrisons are located in  Gyumri and Yerevan. In 2010, Moscow and Yerevan extended the  agreement on the deployment of the base until 2044.