Russian expert: Armenia trying to find new centers of power in West

By  Trend

Armenia’s rapprochement with the European Union and NATO is a political line of Yerevan, which believes that Russia, as a major mediator in the negotiations process over the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict’s settlement, as well as the country’s main partner in the economic and political context, is, at present, unable to defend the interests of either Armenia or the Armenian people, said Nikita Isayev, political analyst, leader of the New Russia public and political movement.

“The rapprochement of Armenia with the EU and the Western countries in general has long stopped to be a news or viewed as something surprising,” he told Trend on August 22.

 “In addition, this rapprochement in economic and political context has progressed far enough, just like the military cooperation between Armenia and NATO, which is considered as priority for Yerevan. Thus, Armenia, to protect its economic and political interests, as well as to reorganize its political and economic system, is looking for the new centers of power, like Brussels.”

All negotiations processes of Armenia’s cooperation with NATO, including the country’s participation in multinational drills under the auspices of the Alliance in early August 2017 in Georgia, together with the overt geopolitical and military opponents of Russia, show that Armenia is looking for support in the Alliance, said Isayev.

The expert is sure that this way will most likely pass quite calmly, without internal shocks, as it was in Ukraine. That’s because obvious pro-Russian sentiments in Armenia are not enough to split the society, he said.

“Armenia has made its choice,” Isayev said. “I think that it will make no sense to be surprised at the comments and statements of the Armenian officials regarding the European integration.”

Russia in this case will have to take a pragmatic position, he added.

Russia will have to no longer perceive Armenia as a part of its so-called Russian world, but as a supporter of the European integration and build its relations with Armenia in a different way, he added.