Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
The old ally is looking towards the West, and Putin seems increasingly displeased.
On June 7, Armenians will head to the polls. While an election in Armenia would not usually attract much international attention, the 2026 election is different.
The small country is a historical ally of Russia, but relations have soured in recent years, especially since the Kremlin failed to support Armenia in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with Azerbaijan.
At the time, Azerbaijan successfully reclaimed the breakaway territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, leaving Yerevan feeling completely abandoned by Russian peacekeepers. By 2024, Armenia had frozen its participation in Moscow’s regional security bloc.
Armenia is instead pivoting toward the West, and Putin is not thrilled about the risk of losing a historical ally to the West.
Called to Moscow
According to reports by Reuters and The Moscow Times, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced on Saturday that it had officially recalled its ambassador to Armenia. The sudden move came as a direct response to the country’s growing alignment with Europe.
Moscow made its frustrations perfectly clear in a public statement. The Kremlin noted that Ambassador Sergei Kopyrkin was summoned home for consultations because Armenia is choosing a path that actively undermines regional trade groups.
“The Russian ambassador to the Republic of Armenia, S. Kopyrkin, has been recalled to Moscow for consultations about steps taken by the Armenian leadership toward rapprochement with the European Union, thus undermining cooperation within the Eurasian Economic Union,” the ministry said in an official statement.
The Ukraine scenario
The decision follows severe warnings from Russian President Vladimir Putin during a recent summit in Kazakhstan. He openly invoked what he described as the “Ukrainian scenario” to discourage the small country from shifting its allegiance.
In retaliation for the shift toward the West, Moscow has recently targeted Armenian trade. Over the past month, Russian inspectors have blocked imports of Armenian flowers, mineral water, and various agricultural products over alleged health violations.
Moscow also threatened to scrap a 2013 treaty that gives the nation duty-free access to Russian gas and oil.
Over the weekend, a poll showed that pro-West Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is leading the race, with his Civil Contract party holding 65% support among decided voters.
Sources: Reuters, The Moscow Times, Euronews, Ukrainska Pravda
