Russia Pulls Back Its Ambassador From Armenia Ahead of Elections

Russia decided to bring back its ambassador from Armenia for talks, showing disapproval of the country’s growing friendship with the European Union. The move comes as Armenia plans a vote on June 7, and its leader looks to strengthen ties with the West. Armenia, a small nation of about 3 million people, has traditionally been close to Russia. Yet in recent years it has stepped closer to European countries while still relying on Moscow for money and trade. The Russian Foreign Ministry announced that the ambassador, Sergei Kopyrkin, would return to Moscow because of Armenia’s steps toward a closer relationship with the EU. Russia also warned that its economic bloc could suspend Armenia if it pursues European membership and urged a national referendum on the issue.Polls show that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who is seen as pro‑Western, leads the race against a pro‑Russian opposition. Pashinyan was first elected in 2018 after a popular uprising and won again in 2021. Even the former U. S. president, Donald Trump, has supported him. Armenia accuses Russia of not defending it during the recent conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno‑Karabakh, a region with an Armenian majority that Azerbaijan took back in 2023. Russia claims that Western governments are trying to weaken Russian influence by meddling in Armenia’s politics. The Armenian government has not yet replied to Russia’s decision to recall its ambassador.