Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke of a “good dynamic” in Russia’s relationship with Armenia as he met with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian in Moscow on Thursday.
The two men discussed what the Kremlin described as “key topics of the bilateral agenda.” Those most probably included a new agreement on the price of Russian natural gas supplied to Armenia and the thorny issue of who should be the new secretary general of the Russian-led Collective Security Organization (CSTO).
Neither leader made any public statements immediately after the talks held in the presence of other senior Russian and Armenian officials. Nor did their aides or press offices report any agreements reached by them.
Armenia pays $150 per thousand cubic meters of Russian gas under a bilateral deal that runs until the end of this month. The Armenian government hoped in the run-up to Thursday’s talks that the Russians will at least not raise this price. But some officials in Yerevan did not rule out the possibility of a price rise.
Armenia also hoped for Russian support in its dispute with Belarus over the vacant post of CSTO secretary general which was held by a retired Armenian army general, Yuri Khachaturov, until last month. Khachaturov was sacked after being controversially charged by Armenian authorities in connection with the 2008 post-election violence in Yerevan. Moscow strongly criticized the charges.
Pashinian has been trying to ensure that another representative of Armenia is allowed to complete Khachaturov’s three-year tenure which was due to expire in 2020. However, at least four other CSTO member states -- Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan -- want a Belarusian nominee, Stanislav Zas, to become the next secretary general.
A CSTO spokesman said earlier this week that Putin also supports Zas’s candidacy. Moscow did not confirm that claim, however.
Putin began his latest meeting with Pashinian by congratulating the latter on his My Step alliance’s “convincing victory” in the December 9 parliamentary elections. “I want to wish you success in the realization of all objectives which you set for yourself and your team to the benefit of Armenia and the Armenian people,” he said.
Putin has still not congratulated Pashinian in writing, fuelling Armenian media speculation about his discontent with the new authorities in Yerevan.
In his opening remarks publicized by the Kremlin, Putin also praised “truly allied relations” between the two nations and growing trade between them. “I think that the dynamic is good,” he said. “It must be maintained.”
“We will do everything in our power to maintain this level of our relations not only in this sphere but also in other directions,” he added, referring to the CSTO and the Eurasian Economic Union.
“We intend to deepen our relations in all directions,” Pashinian said, for his part. He invited Putin to pay an official visit to Armenia next year.
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