Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan commented at a briefing today, February 13, on remarks by Konstantin Zatulin, who claimed that he allegedly received $5 billion from Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

“In Russia there are certain circles that are guided by the following logic: peace between Armenia and Turkey and Azerbaijan is not beneficial to them, because in that case Armenia will become a fully independent state. And if hostility is maintained, Armenia will be forced to embrace Russia more tightly,” Pashinyan said.

He added that, to his satisfaction, many politicians and representatives of the Russian government do not share this concept. “I am pleased to note that the idea that it is necessary to constantly provoke contradictions between Armenia and Turkey, Armenia and Iran, Armenia and Azerbaijan, in order to create or strengthen Armenia’s dependence on Russia, is not shared by many. I am confident that my colleague Vladimir Putin, Mikhail Mishustin, and many representatives of the government do not share this view,” he added.

According to him, Armenia’s parliamentary elections will include both forces that see the world through Armenia’s eyes and forces that see it through Zatulin’s eyes.

“At the elections, the citizens of Armenia must decide whether they trust their own eyes or Zatulin’s eyes. After 2026, you will no longer see an oligarch or a former president engaged in politics — all of them will be thrown out. On June 8, we will wake up in an Armenia whose history will reconnect with the history that was interrupted in 374 by the murder of King Pap. Armenia and the Armenian people will return to their history,” Nikol Pashinyan said.