The Zhoghovurd newspaper of the Republic of Armenia (RA) writes as follows, in particular: Although the CC [i.e. Armenia’s ruling Civil Contract party and its parliamentary faction] authorities are waging a day-and-night struggle against the Russian Federation [(RF)], accusing the Kremlin of hybrid attacks, in any case, the RA continues to maintain close and result-oriented relations with the RF.

The Zhoghovurd daily continues to study the report on the course of implementation and results of the RA Government’s program (2021-26) for 2025, and it turned out that we [i.e. Armenia] have a qualitative increase in relations with the US, amount and intensive ties with the RF. The data from the official report for 2025 show a dual picture: Armenia’s relations with the US have clearly acquired a new political quality, while ties with Russia, even under the circumstances of decline, continue to remain incomparably deeper, both in terms of the intensity of contacts and in terms of economic amount.

That is, if it is about political reformulation, progress is in the American direction, but if the criterion is the amount of business ties, the Russian direction still prevails. (...). Thus, the facts force at least two different conclusions: relations [of Armenia] with the US are today a faster-growing, politically warmer, and more promising direction, since they have been elevated to the level of strategic partnership and have received a new institutional format. But by practical standards of effectiveness, especially in terms of trade, permanent high-level contacts and general engagement, Russia still remains Armenia’s closer partner.

In short, if the question is posed as to which direction is “warmer” [for Armenia] in 2025, the answer is more likely to be the US, since [Armenia-US] relations have officially been elevated to a new level. If the question is posed as to which direction is “closer” and more influential in practice, the answer so far is Russia—with 4 meetings, 5 phone conversations, and a trade turnover of $7.7 billion. That is, Armenia gained political leverage with Washington in 2025, but still maintains a more substantial and material connection with Moscow.