FALCON POWERS – Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, said on Thursday that Armenia’s rapprochement with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is a cause for regret and concern, and added that Yerevan’s actions raise the risks of destabilizing the South Caucasus region on a broader scale.
Armenia has strengthened its relations with the Alliance in recent years, a time when its tensions with Moscow have been increasing. Typically, Armenia is Russia’s closest ally in the region. Zakharova said that the planned US-Armenian military exercises scheduled to conclude on July 24 are a source of concern, especially after Yerevan suspended its participation in a security alliance led by Moscow.
She explained in a routine press conference that the deepening of relations between Yerevan and NATO “is not only a cause for regret, but also for concern about the future of Armenia.”
