Peskov: Armenian people benefit from cooperation with Russia

YEREVAN, March 6. /ARKA/. Armenia and its people benefit from cooperation with Russia and from Armenia's membership in the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) with trade, transportation and financial services growing, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

"We are against dictating anything to anyone. We are in favor of earning together, becoming happier and richer together. We are sure that our Armenian friends also understand this," Peskov said according to TASS.

He added that Armenia is the most dynamically developing country in the former Soviet Union, as its GDP grew by 15% in 2023. Peskov added that this growth was partly due to "very close and mutually beneficial cooperation" with Russia.

In a related development Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow suggested that Russian and Armenian officials meet to address Armenia’s concerns. ‘There is no response yet, maybe it will appear, maybe it will appear right now, they have not responded to this initiative yet," Zakharova said.

‘Armenia has frozen its participation in the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) because the bloc has failed to fulfill its objectives regarding Armenia, especially in 2021 and 2022,’ Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in an interview with France 24 television in late February.

Pashinyan also said that Azerbaijan does not adhere to the principles necessary for a long-term peace treaty and suggested that Azerbaijan is preparing for a new attack.

"Now we have practically frozen our participation in CSTO. What will happen next - we'll see." But he said the closure of the Russian base in Armenia was not yet under discussion as it is regulated by other treaties.

Other  CSTO members are Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.-0-