Matvienko denied any “crisis of trust” between the two longtime allies after holding what she described as “very meaningful, constructive and friendly” talks with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian.
“There is an understanding of what is happening in the South Caucasus region,” she told reporters. “There is an understanding of the need to update the bilateral agenda taking into account the new realities on the ground.”
“Armenia has demonstrated its interest in expanding and developing multifaceted bilateral cooperation,” she said.
Matvienko also said Pashinian assured her that contrary to various “insinuations” he has “has no problems in relations” with Russian President Vladimir Putin and that they always “find mutual understanding and necessary solutions.” Pashinian’s office reported few details of the talks.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov made similar comments during a recent visit to Yerevan. His Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan said after their talks that although Russian-Armenian security arrangements “have not worked in full,” Pashinian’s government is not planning to “reformat our allied relations with Russia.”
Armenia had minimized diplomatic contacts with Russia and reoriented its foreign policy towards the West since the end of 2022, causing an unprecedented rift between the two nations. But in recent months, there have been indications that Yerevan now wants to ease the tensions with Moscow. Even so, Armenian parliament speaker Simonian accused the Russians last month of waging a “hybrid war” against his country in a bid to bring down its government.
Simonian, who is a key Pashinian ally, did not repeat his accusations, dismissed by the Russian Foreign Ministry, during his joint public engagements with Matvienko on Friday.
The two speakers chaired a session of a Russian-Armenian commission on interparliamentary cooperation and addressed a Russian-Armenian “interregional conference.” Simonian said the conference underlines the two countries’ “commitment to deepening Russian-Armenian relations.”