Armenia does not consider the presence of Russia’s 102nd military base vital and would not oppose its withdrawal if Moscow decided to leave, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Thursday.
Speaking at a press briefing in Yerevan on his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Bishkek on September 1, Pashinyan said Yerevan had not raised the issue of the Russian base with Moscow.
“We have not raised the issue of the Russian military base even once during this period, and it is not the case that we consider the presence of the Russian 102nd Military Base on the territory of Armenia to be a vital necessity,” he said.
Pashinyan also said transferring Russia’s rights under a concession agreement for Armenia’s railway infrastructure to a third country would be the best option for Yerevan.
The future of Armenia’s railway infrastructure was among the issues discussed by Putin and Pashinyan during their meeting in Bishkek on Tuesday, on the sidelines of SCO summit.
Putin said investment in the railway would depend on freight traffic, adding that opening additional routes could create new cargo flows and make further investment economically viable.
Russian military base
Putin also said the presence of the Russian military base was ultimately a sovereign decision for Armenia.
“If Armenia believes that the Russian military base is not needed, we will leave as early as tomorrow. We will not impose anything on anyone,” he said.
At the same time, Putin said Russia would remain if Armenia’s population wanted a Russian military presence and was prepared to continue working and cooperating with Moscow.
Armenia seeks closer regional ties
Pashinyan’s government has also pursued closer ties with Türkiye and Azerbaijan while seeking deeper integration with the European Union.
Yerevan has said it wants to establish diplomatic relations with Ankara and reopen the land border, while continuing efforts to normalise relations with Baku and expand regional connectivity.
