“I have not had any secret meetings with Vladimir Putin. It was simply a working lunch.”
Modern.az reports that Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated this on April 9 at a briefing held after the government meeting, commenting on the critical remarks made after his recent visit to Moscow.
“We had lunch and a friendly conversation, as always. As I said before, I evaluate this visit very positively. The rest are free in their opinions,” Pashinyan added.
According to the Prime Minister, they have already reached an agreement on future meetings and events.
A new high-level meeting between Armenia and Russia is planned for the second half of June 2026 (parliamentary elections will be held on June 7 – ed.).
According to him, in addition to official talks during his recent visit to Moscow, a working dinner with Vladimir Putin also took place. Pashinyan noted that the conversation was held in a friendly atmosphere.
“As I said, I consider this visit very successful. The rest are free in their assessments. Regarding the one-on-one meeting, we have already reached an agreement on future relations and events, including a high-level meeting in the second half of June,” the Prime Minister stated.
The Prime Minister added that he had previously spoken openly about the issues discussed during the meeting on various platforms.
“Currently, Armenia-Russia relations are in a stage of transformation, and I evaluate this process positively. We intend to continue cooperation with the logic of friendly dialogue,” Pashinyan emphasized.
Pashinyan also commented on Armenia's position regarding its relations with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the European Union (EU). According to him, Armenia will continue this course as long as it is possible to pursue policies in these two directions in parallel. Should an incompatibility arise, the decision will be made together with the citizens of the country.
“Such a moment has not yet arrived, and I see no need to provide further comment,” he stated.
It should be noted that talks between Nikol Pashinyan and Vladimir Putin were held in Moscow on April 1. During the meeting, Putin stated that they observed the discussions in Yerevan regarding relations with the EU and approached them calmly. He also explicitly noted that it is not possible for Armenia to be a member of both the EU and the EAEU simultaneously. Pashinyan, in turn, emphasized that Armenia understands that EAEU membership is not compatible with EU membership, but these processes have not yet reached a point where a choice must be made.
