Peace to open new opportunities for further development of Armenia-Russia relations: Pashinyan to Putin
Peace achieved between Armenia and Azerbaijan will open new opportunities for the further development of bilateral relations between Armenia and Russia, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said during a private meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Saint Petersburg.
The Prime Minister’s Office released details of the meeting, noting that President Putin thanked Pashinyan for his participation in events held within the framework of the EAEU and the CIS.
Putin stated that assessments of joint work had already been exchanged and described the outcomes of the meetings as positive. He emphasized that the teams had worked intensively across all areas, prepared and signed relevant documents, and ensured progress on all agreed directions.
Referring to bilateral relations, the Russian President said they continue to develop steadily. He noted that Armenia–Russia trade turnover exceeded $11 billion in 2024, while in the first nine months of this year it reached 4.5 billion. Putin expressed confidence that trade volumes would increase further in the near future.
The Russian President also highlighted cooperation in the energy sector, including nuclear energy, as well as prospects in logistics. He recalled that during their previous meeting, various issues had been raised for joint work, including the restoration of old transport routes and the creation of new ones that would open Armenia’s borders, stating that overall cooperation is progressing well.
For his part, Prime Minister Pashinyan expressed gratitude for the invitation and said the two days spent together within the EAEU and CIS formats were highly productive, with important decisions having been made. He described the meeting as the logical conclusion of his working visit to Saint Petersburg.
Pashinyan noted that significant and positive developments are taking place in the region and thanked President Putin for his support of the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan. He recalled that during a phone conversation following August 8, it had been emphasized that peace would create new opportunities for the development of Armenia–Russia relations.
According to Pashinyan, this process has already begun, as trains from Russia are now traveling to Armenia through the territory of Azerbaijan, which he described “as a historic development”.
“I am referring, in particular, to the Ijevan, Yeraskh and Akhurik sections. These are the railways that connect Armenia with Azerbaijan, the main part of Azerbaijan with Nakhichevan and Türkiye, since a fairly active political process is underway. I cannot say that there are already political decisions on the reopening of these railways. But I think that the situation has matured to the point that it is necessary to carry out preparatory work,” he said.
Pashinyan also said Armenia is engaged in constructive bilateral negotiations with the United States on the implementation of the TRIPP project, describing it as a significant and meaningful initiative for the region. He added that the project includes nuances related to Armenia-Russia bilateral relations and said the meeting provided a good opportunity to discuss these issues.
