04:56Mandatory credit: The Government of the Republic of Armenia
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that the potential withdrawal of Russian military personnel from Armenia was not being discussed, during an interview with the Wall Street Journal in Yerevan on Wednesday.
"We are now more focused on discussing other issues, we are trying to understand the cause of such a situation, and of course, I also think that this will be the agenda of working discussions between Armenia and Russia, Armenia and the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO)," said the Armenian leader.
However, Pashinyan also alleged that Armenia had not 'seen the advantages' of Russia's military presence in the region, given the recent escalation of the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh.
"In general, many questions arise after the failure of the peacekeeping contingent of the Russian Federation in Nagorno-Karabakh. And these questions are legitimate, because by saying failure I mean that it is a fact that the peacekeeping troops of the Russian Federation were unable or unwilling to ensure the safety of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh," claimed Pashinyan.
Last month, presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow disagreed with Armenia's view that responsibility lay with Russia's peacekeeping force in Nagorno-Karabakh.
The long-running conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh escalated on Tuesday, September 19, with the beginning of what Azerbaijan called a 'counter-terrorist operation' in the region. On the same day, Moscow called on the parties to the conflict to declare a ceasefire and start negotiations.
Azerbaijan accused Armenia of 'systematic shelling of its army positions' and announced 'anti-terrorist measures of a local nature' in Nagorno-Karabakh. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry stated that the only way to achieve peace in the region was 'unconditional and complete withdrawal of the Armenian Armed Forces from the Karabakh region.
Meanwhile, Pashinyan claimed that there were no Armenian Armed Forces in Nagorno-Karabakh, and the Armenian Foreign Ministry called the events a 'large-scale aggression'.
The following day, the Defence Ministry of the self-proclaimed NKR (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic) said that its authorities had decided to lay down arms for a ceasefire from 13:00 local time (09:00 GMT). Baku also announced the suspension of its 'anti-terrorist measures'.
Nagorno-Karabakh's government subsequently stated that the self-declared republic would cease to exist by January 2024, while many ethnic Armenians left the area.
Nagorno-Karabakh - formerly an autonomous region of the Azerbaijani Soviet Socialist Republic, with a predominantly ethnic Armenian population - broke away from Azerbaijan in the final years of the USSR, establishing a self-proclaimed, independent but internationally-unrecognised entity.
Baku claims sovereignty over the territory, and after a major war in 2020 regained control over large parts of the region. In May 2023, the Yerevan government recognised Azerbaijan’s claim to the territory but also called for protection for the region's ethnic Armenians.
'We are not discussing such a question' – Armenian PM Pashinyan on possible closure of Russian military bases
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that the potential withdrawal of Russian military personnel from Armenia was not being discussed, during an interview with the Wall Street Journal in Yerevan on Wednesday.
"We are now more focused on discussing other issues, we are trying to understand the cause of such a situation, and of course, I also think that this will be the agenda of working discussions between Armenia and Russia, Armenia and the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO)," said the Armenian leader.
However, Pashinyan also alleged that Armenia had not 'seen the advantages' of Russia's military presence in the region, given the recent escalation of the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh.
"In general, many questions arise after the failure of the peacekeeping contingent of the Russian Federation in Nagorno-Karabakh. And these questions are legitimate, because by saying failure I mean that it is a fact that the peacekeeping troops of the Russian Federation were unable or unwilling to ensure the safety of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh," claimed Pashinyan.
Last month, presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow disagreed with Armenia's view that responsibility lay with Russia's peacekeeping force in Nagorno-Karabakh.
The long-running conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh escalated on Tuesday, September 19, with the beginning of what Azerbaijan called a 'counter-terrorist operation' in the region. On the same day, Moscow called on the parties to the conflict to declare a ceasefire and start negotiations.
Azerbaijan accused Armenia of 'systematic shelling of its army positions' and announced 'anti-terrorist measures of a local nature' in Nagorno-Karabakh. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry stated that the only way to achieve peace in the region was 'unconditional and complete withdrawal of the Armenian Armed Forces from the Karabakh region.
Meanwhile, Pashinyan claimed that there were no Armenian Armed Forces in Nagorno-Karabakh, and the Armenian Foreign Ministry called the events a 'large-scale aggression'.
The following day, the Defence Ministry of the self-proclaimed NKR (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic) said that its authorities had decided to lay down arms for a ceasefire from 13:00 local time (09:00 GMT). Baku also announced the suspension of its 'anti-terrorist measures'.
Nagorno-Karabakh's government subsequently stated that the self-declared republic would cease to exist by January 2024, while many ethnic Armenians left the area.
Nagorno-Karabakh - formerly an autonomous region of the Azerbaijani Soviet Socialist Republic, with a predominantly ethnic Armenian population - broke away from Azerbaijan in the final years of the USSR, establishing a self-proclaimed, independent but internationally-unrecognised entity.
Baku claims sovereignty over the territory, and after a major war in 2020 regained control over large parts of the region. In May 2023, the Yerevan government recognised Azerbaijan’s claim to the territory but also called for protection for the region's ethnic Armenians.
Mandatory credit: The Government of the Republic of Armenia
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that the potential withdrawal of Russian military personnel from Armenia was not being discussed, during an interview with the Wall Street Journal in Yerevan on Wednesday.
"We are now more focused on discussing other issues, we are trying to understand the cause of such a situation, and of course, I also think that this will be the agenda of working discussions between Armenia and Russia, Armenia and the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO)," said the Armenian leader.
However, Pashinyan also alleged that Armenia had not 'seen the advantages' of Russia's military presence in the region, given the recent escalation of the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh.
"In general, many questions arise after the failure of the peacekeeping contingent of the Russian Federation in Nagorno-Karabakh. And these questions are legitimate, because by saying failure I mean that it is a fact that the peacekeeping troops of the Russian Federation were unable or unwilling to ensure the safety of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh," claimed Pashinyan.
Last month, presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow disagreed with Armenia's view that responsibility lay with Russia's peacekeeping force in Nagorno-Karabakh.
The long-running conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh escalated on Tuesday, September 19, with the beginning of what Azerbaijan called a 'counter-terrorist operation' in the region. On the same day, Moscow called on the parties to the conflict to declare a ceasefire and start negotiations.
Azerbaijan accused Armenia of 'systematic shelling of its army positions' and announced 'anti-terrorist measures of a local nature' in Nagorno-Karabakh. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry stated that the only way to achieve peace in the region was 'unconditional and complete withdrawal of the Armenian Armed Forces from the Karabakh region.
Meanwhile, Pashinyan claimed that there were no Armenian Armed Forces in Nagorno-Karabakh, and the Armenian Foreign Ministry called the events a 'large-scale aggression'.
The following day, the Defence Ministry of the self-proclaimed NKR (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic) said that its authorities had decided to lay down arms for a ceasefire from 13:00 local time (09:00 GMT). Baku also announced the suspension of its 'anti-terrorist measures'.
Nagorno-Karabakh's government subsequently stated that the self-declared republic would cease to exist by January 2024, while many ethnic Armenians left the area.
Nagorno-Karabakh - formerly an autonomous region of the Azerbaijani Soviet Socialist Republic, with a predominantly ethnic Armenian population - broke away from Azerbaijan in the final years of the USSR, establishing a self-proclaimed, independent but internationally-unrecognised entity.
Baku claims sovereignty over the territory, and after a major war in 2020 regained control over large parts of the region. In May 2023, the Yerevan government recognised Azerbaijan’s claim to the territory but also called for protection for the region's ethnic Armenians.