The West is using Armenia as a tool of geopolitical battle in opposition to Moscow, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin said in an interview with TASS. "The other day, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan noted in an interview that Armenia's line does not imply harming Russia's interests.

However, we see that Yerevan is accelerating military-political and economic rapprochement with Western countries and alliances. We [i.e. Russia] have repeatedly told our Armenian partners that for the West (which they no longer hide there) Armenia is a tool of geopolitical battle in opposition to Moscow," the Russian deputy FM said.

According to Galuzin, Yerevan is aware of Moscow's principled assessments about the incompatibility of membership in the European Union (EU) and membership in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). He emphasized that in case of switching to the regulations of another integration association, Armenia will not be able to ensure compliance with the norms and rules of the EAEU, which is fraught with corresponding consequences.

“We hope that they will be guided in the [Armenian] republic by pragmatism: high growth rates of the Armenian economy, low inflation, stable national currency, large market for consumption of Armenian products. The guarantee of all this is cooperation with Russia and within the framework of the EAEU,” the Russian deputy FM noted.

Galuzin noted that Russia, as before, considers Yerevan to be Moscow’s natural ally in the South Caucasus. He recalled that the strategic status of Russia-Armenia relations is enshrined in a rich legal and contractual basis. “We [i.e. Russia] have always been for a strong and truly sovereign Armenian state.

We are convinced that the allied cooperation of Russia and Armenia has no alternative. The strong ties between our countries and peoples largely form the basis for the sustainable development of the [Armenian] republic and the region as a whole. Bilateral cooperation, coordinated work within the framework of shared Eurasian organizations are the guarantee of Armenia's future prosperity," the Russian deputy FM said.