Armenian PM's Foreign Policy Shift Sparks Tensions with Russia

Russia's Foreign Ministry has rejected Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's accusation that his country was abandoned by Moscow after Azerbaijan launched a military operation in Nagorno-Karabakh. Pashinyan criticized the Russian-Armenian strategic partnership as "insufficient," signaling a shift away from its traditional ally. Moscow accused Pashinyan of undermining Russian-Armenian ties and warned that Yerevan risks becoming "a hostage of the West's geopolitical games." Despite being a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, Russia refused to aid Armenia during the recent attacks, citing Yerevan's recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan. The Kremlin also stated that it was uncertain how long Russian peacekeepers would remain in Nagorno-Karabakh following Azerbaijan's victory.