Armenia is not engaged in an arms race with any country, we are acquiring armaments exclusively for defending Armenia’s borders and territorial integrity, meaning for defensive goals, and our goals are transparent. This was stated by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in an interview with “Armenpress”. 

"We are told that defensive weapons must be bought for defensive purposes. But it is impossible to organize defense only with defensive weapons. For instance, if Armenia were to have highly modern anti-air and electronic warfare measures, how would it defend itself in case of a land attack? Of course with artillery, of course with missiles, of course with other strike measures. Azerbaijan is also acquiring non-defensive weapons, does it mean that they are engaged in revanchist policy?" said Pashinyan. 

He also said, that according to all international norms, the Republic of Armenia has the right to have armed forces and an obligation to protect its own citizens, including from possible foreign threats.

The army reforms are our legitimate right. Is this a threat for Azerbaijan? No. Because we have clearly recognized and recognize the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan in the territory of the Soviet Azerbaijan and we expect that Azerbaijan, like us, without leaving room for misinterpretations, will recognize the territorial integrity of the Republic of Armenia, in accordance with our agreements, and will refrain from the policy of threats. Threatening statements are made from Azerbaijan to the Republic of Armenia practically every day. In such conditions our reaction even gets internal criticism, because we say that we don’t even have an objective to militarily return the over 200 square kilometers of our sovereign territory that is currently under occupation, because the institutional solutions reached in the delimitation issue enable us to resolve this issue in a peaceful, negotiated way. In this context we even offered Azerbaijan to create a bilateral mechanism of mutual arms control. But Azerbaijan hasn’t responded so far, while the difference of the military budgets of Armenia and Azerbaijan is threefold, in Azerbaijan’s favor. Accusing us of acquiring armaments in such conditions is not fair, to say the least."

When asked how would he assess the risk of renewed escalation in the region, he said. "I can guarantee that Armenia has no intention, goals or plans to attack or engage in any provocative actions against Azerbaijan, and that it will not take that path. If Azerbaijan also doesn’t have intentions to attack Armenia, then the likelihood of escalation in the region is zero."