The Russian side is interested in a sovereign and strong Armenia, Russian ambassador to Armenia Sergey Kopyrkin stated during a reception dedicated to the Diplomatic Worker's Day celebrated in Russia, RIA Novosti reports.

“Russia is fully interested in a sovereign, strong, and self-sufficient Armenia. I am convinced that the country’s full participation in our joint integration associations also effectively contributes to this. For example, over the 10 years of membership in the EAEU, Armenia’s GDP has grown 2.5 times,” Kopyrkin stated.

He noted, however, that the South Caucasus region is affected by geopolitical turbulence.

“In these difficult conditions, relations between Russia and Armenia have entered a new phase of adaptation to changing realities. Overcoming observed challenges requires long-term political will and strategic wisdom from both sides to preserve and multiply the accumulated reserves of bilateral cooperation,” the Russian ambassador emphasized.

He expressed hope that Armenian National Assembly speaker Alen Simonyan’s recent visit to Moscow has given additional impetus to the movement in this direction.

“The results of the past year have confirmed that, despite external shocks, Russia remains Armenia’s leading trading, economic and investment partner, a time-tested guarantor of the country’s energy and food security. Cultural, humanitarian, and interpersonal contacts have traditionally been active. It is noteworthy that Russians occupy a leading place among foreign tourists visiting Armenia,” the Russian diplomat emphasized.

According to him, the friendship between the peoples of Russia and Armenia “has been bequeathed to us by generations of ancestors, forged over the centuries by glorious shared victories and joint creative work, strengthened by close interpersonal ties.”

"We must preserve this heritage and pass it on to future generations," Kopyrkin added.