Why doesn't Russia make presents to Armenia? Opinions differ on Moscow talks (video)
Political analyst Stepan Grigoryan says the conflict in Syria can be one of the main topics discussed during the Moscow meeting of Serzh Sargsyan and Vladimir Putin. “Armenia has strong ties with the Syrian authorities, we have a strong Armenian community there,” he says. The political analyst does not exclude that the two men also discussed the escalation in border skirmishes between Armenian and Azerbaijani military forces. He does not approve Russia’s sale of weapons to Azerbaijan. “It [the deal] promotes militarization and militarizes our region. This is a threat for us, they [Russians] make us purchase weapons too,” he said. Similarly, Mr Grigoryan does not approve Russia’s allocating to Armenia $200 million as a soft loan to be able to upgrade our arsenal. “Russia could give us gratuitous loans in the amount for 1 billion, 1.5 billion and 2 billion after Armenia’s accession to the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU),” he stressed. For example, Russia donated Kazakhstan S-300 missile system. Likewise, Russia could make such a present to Armenia, we also deserve such attention. Political analyst Gevorg Melikyan says Russia has other interests in the region besides Armenia. “The latest developments in Russian-Azerbaijani relations are of concern to us, it is not excluded that in a number of issues Russia may find a substitute in relations with Armenia. Lawmaker of the Armenian National Congress (HAK) Lyudmila Sargsyan does not think that ‘it is high time that Russia turned its back on us.’ “Our interests coincide now. Today Russia is more than ever interested in our firm position in the region. Russia is not guided by our interested, it is guided by its own geopolitical interests,” she said. The lawmaker does not the meeting of the two leaders will have tragic outcome for Armenia since ‘we have nothing more to give to Russia.’
